How These Animals Became Status Symbols

A status symbol is defined as something that a person owns that shows "wealth or a high social status." Typically, status symbols are things like flashy cars or expensive watches, but for some, the ultimate status symbol is a living thing.

Unusual and exotic pets are often expensive and difficult to acquire and keep, so it's unsurprising that some use their animals to boost their prestige. These can be anything from an expensive "designer" dog to a tiger. As described by veterinarian Laurie Hess for CNBC, some exotic animals can be amazing companions, but they may need more special care than an ordinary pet, which not every owner is prepared for. Other wild animals are unsuited to living in captivity at all, and inexperienced owners bringing them home can have devastating consequences. Richard Patch, vice president of federal affairs for the ASPCA explained, "People get these animals when they're very young, manageable and cute. But they grow up to be wild animals, kept in cages, chained up or loose. There's just no good outcome there."

From gorgeous birds to apex predators, animals have been used all over the world to show off wealth and power. Some help their owners get followers on Instagram while others are used to guard illegal drugs. This is how these animals became status symbols.

Dogs of all kinds have been used as status symbols as well as — and, sometimes, instead of — companions. The most expensive of these breeds is probably the Tibetan mastiff — a guard dog rumored to be strong enough to bring down a tiger. In 2014, at a luxury pet fair in China, a single Tibetan mastiff was sold for almost $2 million.

As The Washington Post reported, the $2 million dog was hardly alone. In what has been called "the luxury dog trade," the breed became seen as investments representative of wealth and status. One breeder stated, "Pure Tibetan mastiffs are rare, just like our nationally treasured pandas, so the prices are high."

The demand for the massive dogs didn't last. Breeders bred more Tibetan mastiffs than there was demand for, and their price has decreased dramatically. In 2019, CGTN reported that the price for pure Tibetan mastiff puppies was only $1,500. Meanwhile, puppies that had less certain lineage were outright abandoned. The unneutered, released dogs bred with other strays, causing a boom in their population, all without homes. The enormous and untrained dogs travelled to populated areas, where they were a threat to humans, livestock, and wildlife. Living up to the legends, these stray Tibetan mastiffs have been seen attacking wild bears and wolves.

The Asian arowana, sometimes referred to as a dragon fish, is the single most expensive fish in the world. They are reportedly favorites of the yakuza. In 1975 it was classified as a rare species, and international sales were forbidden — which accidentally transformed it from a niche aquarium oddity to a blackmarket luxury item with a market rife with crime.

There are very few Asian arowanas in the wild, but breeders still breed them in farms with tight security. According to a report from the New York Post, each individual fish is microchipped. Expert Emily Voight (via CNBC) has stated that individual Asian arowanas cost up to $300,000. Like the Tibetan mastiff, the market was flooded by legal farm-bred versions in 2012, which brought down the inflated prices for some forms of Asian arowanas. In 2016, however, more than 200,000 illegal sales were still conducted. The most highly prized are white albino fish, already at their full size of three feet long.

Obsession with these "dragon fish" can be expensive and even deadly. Some owners have gone as far as to get plastic surgery for their fish to make the expensive creatures look as good as possible. Arowanas were stolen in heists in Singapore and Malaysia — one of which included the brutal murder of an aquarium shop owner.

Some animals are status symbols when they're pets. Others are exciting and "exotic" enough that just being around one — and posting a picture — can be the status symbol. People love elephants. They are willing to travel around the world to see them. Unfortunately, that love has grown into an industry that forces elephants to entertain their international human fanbase.

As detailed in "Entertaining Elephants" from Johns Hopkins University Press, elephants were unwilling stars of circuses in America between 1800 and 1940. Elephants being forced to entertain people is nothing new, but in modern Thailand, an industry around elephant tourism has been born. According to the New York Times, approximately half of the elephants in Thailand are captive. Originally, most of them were used to haul logs, but when commercial logging was made illegal in 1989, the people who owned elephants were left with no source of income. They needed a new use for elephants. Commonly, elephants are made to give rides to tourists, giving tourists the opportunity to take many pictures with the elephants. Sometimes elephants "perform" in elaborate shows, wearing costumes and doing tricks.

Conservation groups are working to create settings where people who love elephants can travel to see the animals safely without reducing them to photo ops at the expense of elephant health and safety. Elephant Nature Park is a Thai sanctuary that has provided safe homes for dozens of elephants since 1990, while still allowing guests to tour and volunteer.

Lions have been called the kings of the jungle (despite not actually living in the jungle). Historical kings from Louis VIII to Richard I have had nicknames inspired by lions. These apex predators are often used to symbolize prestige and power — which may be why being photographed with one is popular with everyone from TikTok stars to the Crown Prince of Dubai.

Photos and videos of people interacting with lions like domestic animals are often popular on social media, but, as described by Newsweek, the public is increasingly critical of exotic animals being used for clout.

"If someone buys a very expensive animal, he is boasting that he has enough money to get anything he wants," Jasim Ali, manager of Ras Al Khaimah Wildlife Park, told CNN, "If he has a tamed wild animal like a lion, he is trying to show off that he is brave. But this is not courage; this is animal rights abuse."

Alligators have existed for millions of years — these aquatic reptiles shared the planet with dinosaurs. Wildlife expert Corbin Maxey told Business Insider that alligators were unlikely to attack a human (in fact, the chances are better for being attacked by a cow.)

"If you leave them alone, they will more than likely want to leave you alone," Maxey stated. The few attacks that do occur can be deadly, however. Depictions of these attacks likely contributed to the perception of alligators as man-eaters. As seen with other apex predators, some individuals are attracted to the idea of a deadly pet.

In 2019, the New York Post reported that law enforcement raided a house in Pennsylvania that was being used to store massive amounts of illegal drugs. It had an unusual form of security: an alligator. The guard alligator was dubbed "El Chompo." He has since been retired from security and sent to live at a zoo.

Many animals used as status symbols are massive, like elephants, or powerful predators, like cheetahs. Some, however, are just a little pointy.

As described by Hugh Warwick, an ecologist specializing in hedgehogs, the adorable African pygmy hedgehog has been the subject of a "pet fad" since the 2000s. They were first brought to the United States by a single breeder in 1991. It is believed that he purchased 2,000 hedgehogs for 50 cents each and brought them into the U.S. along with some tropical fish, crabs, and baby crocodiles (which he was sent to prison for). Despite the breeder's run-in with the law over the crocs, the hedgehogs were a massive success.

In August of 2021, Wired reported that some influencers were getting hundreds of thousands of followers by posting their pet hedgehogs with adorable props, settings, and outfits. The demand for hedgehogs has only increased, but most first-time owners struggle to provide the care hedgehogs need. While they are adorable and photogenic, they require a suitable habitat, the correct temperature, and frequent cleaning to be healthy.