Animals that symbolize loyalty are useful tools that remind you to stay true and enhance the loyal energy in your home. For humans, loyalty is a virtue of utmost importance, whether it be to brands, other humans, or politics.
Animals have a different sense of loyalty than humans, but it’s just as important for their communities and relationships. Symbols of loyalty in animals have at least one of a set of traits.
What Makes an Animal a Symbol of Loyalty?
Animals can be symbols of loyalty if they are loyal by nature or if they share the same traits as a loyal human. This allows humans to connect to these animals and give us an innate desire to be loyal.
Humans can be loyal by being faithful to their significant other. But that’s not the only meaning of loyalty.
They can also be loyal to their country or hometown. Some people feel loyal to a good job that they have invested time and effort into.
Most human loyalty can be broken down into four categories.
- Convenience – if you live near only one grocery store, you may be loyal to it. But this is a loyalty built on expediency.
- Incentive – some companies and even people offer rewards for being loyal. This is where loyalty programs come in, which cause loyalty based on user (and mutual) benefits.
- Devotion – though this can cover any of the types of loyalty humans have, it primarily encompasses commitments. This can be legal, by promise, or by a simple, devoted personality.
- Love – there’s no great example of this other than human connection. Whenever you love someone – whether it be a spouse, family member, or friend – you feel a sense of ultimate loyalty.
Though these are the types of human loyalty, animal loyalty varies because they don’t have the same emotions that humans do. Their loyalty is just as admirable and is often shown via these traits.
Human Companionship
- Dog
- Cat
- Parrot
- Horse
If an animal sticks close to the same humans, it is considered loyal. Not many animals will connect with humans, but there are a few domesticated animals that have stood the test of time and seem to enjoy human connections.
Family Loyalty
- Elephants
- Chimps
- Giraffes
- Wolves
Loyal animals often feel close to their children even after the children are old enough to make it on their own. This is extremely rare in the animal kingdom, with most children leaving days after they are born.
Monogamy
- Dolphins
- Penguins
- Crane
- Seahorse
Monogamy is rare in animals, making it a strong symbol of loyalty. Most animals try to make the most of their fertility and virility by mating with as many mates as possible. But a few animals will stick to one mate for their entire lifetime.
Homebody
- Beavers
- Lions
- Koalas
- Komodo Dragons
Some animals never leave their dens or territories unless they are looking for mates. They prefer to sleep a lot or work a lot near their homes.
This doesn’t mean their children don’t go find homes of their own, but the adults will almost always stay in one place as long as possible.
Teamwork
- Ants
- Bees
- Buffalo
- African Wild Dogs
Some animals are considered loyal because they stick with their team through thick and thin. These animals are loyal because it suits them, not because of emotional attachment.
It is in their best interest to work together as it gives them the best chance of survival and the most efficient work day.
15 Animals That Symbolize Loyalty
1. Dog
Dogs are the epitome of loyalty in animals. They stay close to their families – both human and canine – for as long as possible. They love to connect with other species of all kinds, with tales of dogs risking their lives or waiting on the graves of their fallen loved ones.
2. Koala
Koalas are specifically loyal creatures that sleep more than 18 hours a day. They only eat one type of food, usually eucalyptus (food loyalty), and stick close to home when possible. They also keep their babies with them for six months, longer than most animals.
3. Bee
Bees are loyal working creatures who rarely give themselves a break. They are faithful to their jobs, the area they pollinate, and their queen.
4. Horse
Horses are animals that symbolize loyalty because they make great human companions. They work hard for us, with some horses forming such a strong bond that they will go out of their way to make their humans’ lives easier.
5. Beaver
Beavers are loyal in many ways. Not only are they monogamous, but they work hard together to build a home. They tend to stick close to that home, warning their families of any nearby dangers.
6. Ant
Ants are loyal to their job and their colony. They work tirelessly each day for their friends and families. As one of the strongest animals on the planet, they can get relatively a lot of work done for their communities.
7. Eagle
Eagles are loyal birds that are almost always monogamous. They commit to other eagles, strengthening their bond with their chosen partner by raising a family together.
8. Swan
Swans are monogamous birds, just like eagles. They commit not only to their partners but to their friends, who they will cherish until death parts them.
9. Lion
Lions are animals that symbolize loyalty in many ways. They often represent spiritual loyalty, but in the animal kingdom, they stick to their pride, with a particular hierarchy that the entire pride abides by.
10. Buffalo
Buffalo are loyal creatures that can live in herds of up to 500. Because of their large numbers, they have few predators and seem to exhibit some type of empathy for injured members of their herd.
11. Chimp
Chimps are loyal animals that stick to their families, no matter the species. They are some of the only animals that hug and kiss as humans do, making them much more like us in terms of loyalty than any other creature.
12. Guinea Pig
Guinea pigs are loyal rodents that love to spend time with others. It’s even illegal to have only one guinea pig in some countries because if alone, it may “die of a broken heart.”
13. Elephant
Elephants are loyal in almost every way. They can be monogamous, can make human connections, and travel in large groups. Elephants rarely leave anyone behind, ensuring that everyone makes it to their destination.
14. Dolphin
Dolphins are loyal to other dolphins and humans. They love to play with humans, make bonds, and practice monogamy within their own kind.
15. Cat
Cats are surprisingly loyal. Although they don’t always get along with other animals or humans, the ones they choose to bond with will forever be in their hearts and minds.