'Happiness is a warm puppy': Animal laughs and joys for a happy brain this week (June 18, 2026)

Elna McHilderson • Managing Editor

Jun 18, 2026 2:45 PM EDT

Do you have a moment to learn about our savior, animal memes?

It's time to be a silly little goofy creature. Stop being a serious human for a minute or two. Like, please, for my and your sanity. I can't do this alone. I need the internet to join me. Let's just close our eyes and imagine we are, I don't know, a tiny version of our favorite furry friend. What do you see? Are you a puppy? A kitten? I see myself as a little white mouse. Mostly blind, but someone's beloved pet, so I've never known fear in my life. All I know is mouse food, wheel, burrow, and cuddle giant hand. I can see my little nose twitching when I smell anyone I love coming into the room. My tiny little hands are rubbing my nose and ears when I need to freshen up. What a life! Born to squeak squeak squeak, forced to send a Q2 report.

Le sigh (I'm bringing that back). Time to scroll through animal memes to stave off the existential dread of being a human in a society.

01

via kona_viking
02

via memes.bird
03

via catsinplaymode
How did those goats make you feel? Happier? At least a little bit? How about those owls? They're pretty silly. Those big ‘ole bug eyes! They don’t even know what money is, and yet it looks like they have realized they owe someone a lot of money. LOL Oh, I love to anthropomorphize. It's one of my greatest pleasures in life. To just look at an animal and be like, “same, bud. Same.” They just get it, whether they actually get it or not, they get it. Animal lovers know what I'm talking about.
04

via riggstheoggsd
05

via @jonjones
06

via just_afly
07

via catsinplaymode
08

via @igpestosalad
09

via @BeanExplains
10

via memes.bird
11

via goldenbiscuit.tx
12

via yourangelinpink
13

via cookiebunny33
14

via catsinplaymode
Do you miss your dog? Or someone else's dog? Or just dogs in general? I feel like it has been way too long since I pet a dog. Like, excuse me, sir, may I pet your dog? Why is your dog so well-trained? I want a dog to pull their leash towards me to get pets cause they can just sense my chill vibes. That is the best thing, isn't it? When you're just minding your own business, and then a dog comes up to you and the owner is like, “omg I'm so sorry.” And you're just like, “This is between your dog and me, stay out of it.” When I had a pet dog, I knew all of the dogs' names. Do I remember even one owner's name?…. Nope. And I'm not sorry. I'm pretty sure they were cruising in the same lane as me with that one.
15

via cutecomrade
16

via uhpav
17

via pout_ig
18

via tiedyehomie
19

via memes.bird
20

via booboothehamham
21

via @frankstoeknives