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USS KIDD Veterans Museum and Parish Pets are pleased to bring to Baton Rouge the travelling exhibit “Fur, Feathers, and Fidelity: Military Mascots.” Created by the Wisconsin Veterans Museum, with funds provided by the Wisconsin Humanities Council from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the exhibit will be on display through December 31, 2022.

Whether a lion, a monkey, or a dog, military mascots are a source of pride and morale for troops. This exhibit, presents a variety of mascots dating back to the Civil War, shining a light on the human side of military service and engaging animal lovers of all ages.

Adjacent to the “Military Mascots” exhibit, USS KIDD Veterans Museum has added material about Lucky and Scotty, USS KIDD’s World War II ship mascots. Whether officially sanctioned or kept “under the radar,” pets aboard ships or in military units have always been a source of comfort for sailors and soldiers. Scientific studies have found evidence to suggest that even viewing images of pets and cute animals lowers blood pressure and heart rate and reduces anxiety.

Parish Pets is a locally owned pet supply store at 548 South Foster Drive in Baton Rouge. Handmade, local pet accessories along with other small batch, handmade pet items from around the world are available, along with “everything you need to keep their tails wagging.”

Located in Madison, Wisconsin, the mission of the Wisconsin Veterans Museum is to acknowledge, commemorate, and affirm the role of Wisconsin veterans in the United States of America’s military past and present.  The Wisconsin Veterans Museum is an educational activity of the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs.

USS KIDD Veterans Museum is open daily 9:30 to 3:30 and is on the Riverfront in Downtown Baton Rouge. Admission to “Fur, Feathers, and Fidelity: Military Mascots” is included with admission to the Museum. For more information, visit the website at www.usskidd.com or phone 225-342-1942.