State Pet
Shelter PetIn the United States, over six million companion animals are surrendered to shelters every year. Nearly a million of these animals are euthanized every year due to overcrowding.
In 2015, the California Legislature declared the shelter pet the official state pet as part of an effort to increase adoptions in the state.
Explore our State Symbols
- Amphibian - Red Legged Frog
- Animal - California Grizzly Bear
- Bird - California Valley Quail
- Colors - Blue and Gold
- Dance - West Coast Swing
- Dinosaur – Augustynolophus Morrisi
- Fabric – Denim
- Fife and Drum Band – California Consolidated Drum Band
- Flag
- Flower – California Golden Poppy
- Folk Dance – Square Dance
- Fossil – Saber-Toothed Tiger
- Freshwater Fish – California Golden Trout
- Gemstone – Benitoite
- Gold Rush Ghost Town – Bodie
- Grass – Purple Needlegrass
- Historical Society
- Insect – California Dogface Butterfly
- LGBTQ Veterans Memorial
- Marine Fish – Garibaldi
- Marine Mammal – California Gray Whale
- Lichen – Lace Lichen
- Marine Reptile – Pacific Leatherback Sea Turtle
- Military Museum
- Mineral – Gold
- Motto – Eureka
- Nickname – Golden State
- Nuts: Almond, Walnut, Pistachio, Pecan
- Prehistoric Artifact
- Quarter
- Reptile – Desert Tortoise
- Rock – Serpentine
- Silver Rush Ghost Town – Calico
- Seal
- Soil – San Joaquin
- Song – “I Love You, California”
- Sport – Surfing
- Tall Ship – Californian
- Tartan
- Theater – Pasadena Playhouse
- Tree – California Redwood
- Vietnam Veterans Memorial
