Laika the Dog was the first living being to orbit the earth. Laika (whose original name was Kudryavka)was a stray dog from the streets of Moscow. Soviet scientists believed that a stray would be a better choice, as it would have had to have already learned to live in harsh conditions. Laika and her alternates were housed in small cages so they would get used to the small size of the sputnik 2 orbiter.

On November 3, 1957, Laika was launched into orbit. She survived for several hours before succumbing to heat and stress. Sputnik 2 continued to orbit the earth for 5 months before burning up.

A monument to Laika exists near the facility where she was trained. It shows her standing astride a rocket.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org