The TriBeCa Film Festival is in full swing here in New York City and sadly, there is a noticeable gap in the number of pet-themed films this year. When I say "gap" I mean, there aren't any. (To be fair, there is ONE movie about falcons, but I don't believe they're meant to be pets and their cuddle factor seems relatively low).

It's really a shame because I can rattle off about 50 of the greatest pets in movie history in no time at all. Instead of doing that, though, I've rounded up my own personal Top 10 Greatest Pets in Film. Call it, the Tri-Bark-A Film Festival!

Indie filmmakers, take note: Great pets in cinema shall not be ignored any longer!

10. Puffy — There's Something about Mary: Part guard dog, part party trick, this pup has it all. 

9. Artex the Horse — The Never Ending Story:  I still cry when Atreyu
loses Artex to the hopelessness in the swamp. They were best friends
and they needed each other.  Okay, I'm tearing up, moving on….

8. The Artistocats — The Artistocats: If you haven't seen this movie,
you must!  So french, so musical, so filled with cute little feline
animations!  Deep down it's a tale of redemption and survival, but I just like
watching it for the cute little nuggets like the following clip:

7. Church the Cat — Pet Sematary: I know what you're thinking, "that cat was messed up," but really, it's a story about undying feline love, just slightly horrifying. And what a pretty kitty!

6.  Beethoven — Beethoven: My neighbor used to raise Saint Bernards and my favorites were named Poopsie and Twinkie. Drool and all, I never thought a more loving animal could possibly exist. Plus, what an actor, such range!

5. Beatrice, Winky, Hubert, Miss Agnes, Tyrone and Rhapsody in White — Best in Show:  Two words. Oscar snub.

4. Rhino — Bolt: A tenacious little chap! That adorable face alone
will melt your heart and then on top of it you realize that he's pure
sunshine…in a ball.

3. Garfield — Garfield The Movie: There is nothing I don't love about this cat. He's chill, he's ridiculously smart, he sleeps in a lasagna pan and for a brief time in the 80s could be found hanging on to the backs of every car window in town. Simply put he's brilliance on four legs.

2. Toto — The Wizard of Oz: I can't even get my cat to walk from one end of the bed to another and this pup walks all the way from Kansas to the Emerald City, and back. PLUS he survives a tornado! Such tenacity and with those tiny legs!

1. Mike Tyson's Tiger — The Hangover:  A man with questionable taste in facial tattoos and his genuine love for this awesome animal inspire a song for the ages. While I don't approve at all of people owning tigers, I'm not about to tell Tyson that. He bit that guy's ear off that time!

(Images: IGN Movies, Kalba Yael Regev, Deadlantern, Aditk, Gundamzine, msnbc)

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