There have been a number of animal acts on America’s Got Talent and Britain’s Got Talent over the years, but not all of them have gone far in the competition. Let’s take a look back at some of the most memorable animals to grace the Got Talent stage.
The Best Got Talent Animal Acts
1. Olate Dogs
This was the first animal act to win America’s Got Talent, taking home the million-dollar prize in Season 7. Father-son duo Richard and Nicholas Olate led the act, which featured several adorably talented dogs performing tricks on stage.
2. Adrian Stoica & Hurricane
In Season 18, dog trainer Adrian Stoica and his furry friend Hurricane became the second animal act to win AGT. Hurricane wowed the judges and audience with her incredible knack for entertaining. The pair returned for AGT: Fantasy League in 2024, finishing in the Semifinals.
3. Ashleigh & Pudsey
In Series 6 of Britain’s Got Talent, Ashleigh Butler and her dog Pudsey became the first animal act to win the show. Pudsey sadly passed away in 2017. In 2019, Ashleigh and her dog Sully appeared on AGT: The Champions Season 1, where they were eliminated in the Preliminaries.
4. Jules O’Dwyer & Matisse
Three seasons after Ashleigh and Pudsey won BGT, Jules O’Dwyer and her dog Matisse took home the top prize for their act. The pair’s adorable performances during Series 9 charmed the show’s judges and viewers.
5. Roni Sagi & Rhythm
In AGT Season 19, Roni Sage and her dog Rhythm finished the competition in second place behind winner Richard Goodall. Their impressive act was unique, in that Rhythm appeared to be dancing with Roni on stage, rather than just doing typical dog tricks.
6. Sara & Hero
This AGT Season 12 act, featuring dog trainer Sara Carson and her dog Hero, was notable due to the fact that judge Simon Cowell saved them from being rejected in their audition. They ended up making it all the way to the Finals, finishing in fifth place. They later returned in 2019 for The Champions, where they were eliminated in the Preliminaries. Hero sadly passed away in 2024.
7. Alexa Lauenburger
Young dog trainer Alexa Lauenburger won Germany’s Got Talent in 2017 for her adorable act. She reached the Finals of AGT: The Champions in 2019 at the age of 11. That same year, Alexa was also a finalist on BGT: The Champions, after receiving the Golden Buzzer for her audition.
8. Clint Carvalho & His Extreme Parrots
Although dog acts tend to make it farthest on Got Talent, other animals have also impressed the judges and audience over the years. That includes AGT Season 7 act Clint Carvalho & His Extreme Parrots. Clint and his feathery friends reached the Semifinals.
9. The Savitsky Cats
Dogs may get most of the attention for their on-stage tricks, but cats are pretty talented, too. In AGT Season 13, the Savitsky family took the stage with their kitties, who performed some seriously impressive tricks. The unique act made it to the Quarterfinals that season.
Words by:
Jill O'Rourke Jill O’Rourke is a contributor at Talent Recap, writing news stories and recaps for shows like ‘AGT,’ ‘The Voice,’ and ‘American Idol.’ She graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in English and Film Studies, and has been writing about pop culture since 2012, with previous bylines at Crushable and A Plus. Jill spends her free time binge-watching sitcoms and daydreaming about life as a hobbit
