History Main / ActionPet

* ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' has several ways for players to summon various creatures to fight alongside them, but the most notable is the Hunter class, whose main gimmick is entirely built around taming wild animals for that exact purpose.

* In ''Literature/HeraldsOfValdemar'' there are various {{Uplifted Animal}}s but as many of them aren't just [[AmplifiedAnimalAptitude amplified]] but outright ''people'' they probably don't count. Still, the Tayledras have bred [[BadassBirdOfPrey birds of prey]] and corvids into larger, more intelligent BondCreatures that help them in fights as well as ferrying messages and bringing them food. The Tayledras' cousins the Shin'a'in breed and train the [[CoolHorse coolest horses around]], which can be trained to extraordinary feats and trusted to solve problems. Their battlesteeds in particular are [[HellishHorse barely horses anymore]] and can be tasked with finding water, protecting supplies or people, and can fight on their own. Battlesteeds still can't hold a candle to Companions, but Companions only ''look'' like horses - they're not uplifted, it's an OpenSecret that they're the {{Reincarnation}}s of humans.

'Franchise/AvatarTheLastAirbender''

A SubTrope of ActionHero, and of AmplifiedAnimalAptitude.

A SubTrope of ActionHero.

* Appa, from ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' has several BigDamnHeroes moments, and that's before he gets ''plate armor''.
** Naga in SequelSeries ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'' is more directly so, even saving Korra and Mako when they almost get captured by chi blockers.

* The Straw Hat Pirates of ''Manga/OnePiece'' have a cute, cotton candy loving, naive human-reindeer (a reindeer that can turn into a human) as TheMedic, who also doubles up as TeamPet (although he hates being mistaken as the latter). However, once he goes into Monster Point, he can kick some serious ass.

* ''WebVideo/CriticalRole'' has Vex's pet bear Trinket, a formidable warrior in his own right.

** Back in the 60's, ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} used to own a male tabby cat named Streaky -pictured above-, who accidentally gained Kryptonian powers after being exposed to a piece of chemically-altered Kryptonite. Streaky was Kara's sidekick for a while, and he still makes appearances in other media.
** Krypto and Streaky's popularity led Superman editor Mort Weisinger to introduce more super-powered pets like Comet the Super-Horse and Beppo the Super-Monkey. Eventually, they formed the Legion of Super-Pets, which acted as support for the ComicBook/LegionOfSuperHeroes.

* In ''FanFic/TheFledglingYear'', Aravis’ belligerent horse Inga takes out her fair share of bad guys.

* ''Literature/TheLegendOfDrizzt'': The hero, a dark elf named Drizzt Do'Urden, has a sidekick named Guenhwyvar, a black panther summoned with a magical figurine.

* ComicBook/RexTheWonderDog is a pet twho will get up and leave the house and his master in the middle of the night if he thinks someone nearby needs saving.

** Iggy in ''Manga/StardustCrusaders'' is a dog with a Stand, the Fool, that has the ability to shape-shift sand into a variety of objects, such as a hang glider.

** ''Manga/DiamondIsUnbreakable'' has Stray Cat, a strange creature that was originally a cat, but fused with a flower after dying. It starts off antagonistic towards [[BigBad Yoshikage Kira]], but later becomes his companion, assisting him during the final battle.

* ComicBook/RexTheWonderDog is a pet that will get up and leave the house and his master in the middle of the night if he thinks someone nearby needs saving.

** ''ComicBook/KryptoTheSuperdog'', Clark Kent/Kal-El's Kryptonian pet dog and loyal partner of adventures since ''ComicBook/AdventureComics'' #210 (1955). Krypto has the full Kryptonian powerset, plus ''fangs'' and ''claws'' which he isn't afraid of using. In ''ComicBook/TheComingOfAtlas'', Krypto is the only member of the Superman Family capable of holding Atlas at bay after everyone else has been defeated.

* ''ComicBook/GreenLantern'': On the villainous side, Dex-Starr was once an ordinary housecat on Earth, until his rage over the death of his beloved owner qualified him for the Red Lantern Corps.

->"In December 1941, the Japanese found that attacking a unit under the cover of night is only a good idea when the enemy doesn't happen to have a giant black hellhound guarding their camp. Gander noticed the impending sneak attack, decided to drop the silly puppy act and switched his Hound of the Baskervilles knob up to 11. And that's when things got fucking metal."

"In December 1941, the Japanese found that attacking a unit under the cover of night is only a good idea when the enemy doesn't happen to have a giant black hellhound guarding their camp. Gander noticed the impending sneak attack, decided to drop the silly puppy act and switched his Hound of the Baskervilles knob up to 11. And that's when things got fucking metal."

* Interceptor, Shadow's dog in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'', will block attacks. In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIII'', Angelo will perform some of Rinoa's super moves.

* In ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'' comics, Ace the Batdog occasionally helps Batman and Robin solve crimes.

* ''ComicBook/SupergirlsGreatestChallenge'' introduces Streaky's distant descendant Whizzy, who lives in the Legion era and has telepathic powers.

* As with the games, most ''[[Anime/PokemonTheSeries Pokémon]]'' are this by default, but Ash's Pikachu is probably the standout example.

* In ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'' comics:

* Similarly in ''ComicBook/{{Supreme}}'', Supreme and Suprema have Radar the Hound Supreme. Radar is TheUnfettered and so unbothered by human morality that he bites off the evil Shadow Supreme's hand and then goes on to father many litters of puppies afterwards.
* ''Franchise/WonderWoman'': Diana's kanga Jumpa has fought supervillains and in ''ComicBook/WonderWoman1942'' her horse Serge saved a few children whose chosen location for sledding wasn't very safe.
* On the villainous side, Dex-Starr was once an ordinary housecat on Earth, until his rage over the death of his beloved owner qualified him for [[ComicBook/RedLanterns The Red Lantern Corps]].

Can overlap with BadassAdorable, KillerRabbit, LivingADoubleLife (if the owner is not aware of the pet's action nature), HeroicPetStory, HeroicDog, {{Mon}}, and TeamPet.

* ''VideoGame/HiFiRush'' has 808, a robotic kitty that aids the protagonist, Chai's, combat capabilities by enabling combo finishers and some special moves. [[spoiler:She also saves Chai from Kale's mind control and briefly takes on the BigBad herself.]]

* ''Manga/InuYasha'' features Kirara, an adorable nekomata (basically a feudal era demon cat) that can shift into a vicious combat mode that has increased size and flight. Is part of the main party, but is owned by Sango as a partner in the demon-slaying tribe.

* ''Manga/ShoukokuNoAltair'': The entire Tughril clan became famous for training golden eagles to help them hunt and fight. The clan's two surviving members, Mahmut and Süleyman, are never seen without their eagles Iskender and Caterina.