9 Laika
- Full name: Laika (meaning “Barker”), Soviet space dog
- Born: 1954
- Died: November 3, 1957
- Known for: From the Russian meaning ‘barker’, Laika was a stray dog in Russia who became the first animal in space, launched in Sputnik II on 3 November 1957 and dying in orbit. It was not revealed until 2002 that she likely died soon after launch from overheating. A statue of Laika was unveiled in Russia in 2008, showing a dog standing on top of a rocket.