With the 95th annual Academy Awards having just passed all the talk has been directed towards who won, the fabulous outfits, and the recently changed carpet color, but some have been considering other factors of the Oscars. Why has an animal never been nominated?

We all can think of classic movie animals that make up our childhood and fulfill our nostalgia, such as AirBud, Beethoven, and the Homeward Bound trio. Countless movies featuring animals as main characters have been nominated for the Academy Awards, but no animal has ever received proper recognition for their service to the movie industry.

With us growing up in the early 2000s we all know and love “Marley and Me,” but why is it only remembered for Owen Wilson and Jennifer Anniston? What about the adorable Labrador Retriever, Clyde, who portrayed Marley during his adult years? The whole movie was centered around him, yet this actor received no recognition, while his co-stars were nominated for Teen Choice Awards and Movies Best Actress.

One of the most iconic and famous movies of all times is the “Wizard of Oz.” The movie centers around the adventures of Dorothy Gale and her trusty canine companion, Toto. This movie was nominated for six awards, yet none of them recognized the work of Terry the Terrier whose genius brought Toto to life.

So many movies feature various types of animals yet they never receive the proper recognition they deserve.

While animal actors have never received an Academy Award there have been cases where animals have been showcased on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, such as Lassie, Kermit the Frog, Donald Duck, and Godzilla.

It’s probably a long shot that an animal will be featured or even nominated for an Academy Award any time soon. But for now, we can  still appreciate our furry friends, and maybe even start an award show just for them where they can take the stage.