From Bubbles the chimp to Louie the llama, take a look back at the furry friends beloved by the King of Pop
BFF (BUBBLE FRIENDS FOREVER)
Michael Jackson poses with his most beloved creature, his chimp Bubbles. The singer reportedly adopted his constant companion in 1985 from a cancer research center in Dallas.
HANGER-ON
Jackson (with a fan circa 1986) gets a hug from then-baby Bubbles. The furry fella toured Japan with Jackson and reportedly accompanied him to the filming of his "Bad" video. Today, Bubbles is said to be living at a ranch in Sylmar, Calif., where the singer and his children would allegedly visit him.
FURRY FRIENDS
In this undated photo, Jackson strikes a pose with Bubbles and Louie the llama. The singer introduced the alpaca – whom he reportedly rescued from the circus – to the world in a press conference in the 1980s.
LLAMA LOVE
Jackson (center), brother Randy and a family friend pet a petite llama in Encino, Calif., in the 1970s. The singer's love of animals sparked a passion inside of him: In 1988, he opened the Neverland Ranch, a 2,800-acre amusement park in California that featured a zoo.
SNAKE CHARMER
The singer was owner to many an exotic pet – giraffes and tigers included – but Jackson held a special place in his heart for his snake Muscles, pictured here with the singer in 1987.
PHOTO OP
That's my Dad! A well-dressed Bubbles (in 1987) holds a photo of Jackson, a pet bulldog and himself. During his years with the singer, the chimp was treated almost as a child, wearing diapers, growing accustomed to using a toilet and reportedly learning to do Jackson's famed Moonwalk dance move.
KOALA CUTIE
Down Under in 1998 for his "HIStory" tour, Jackson makes a fan of a cuddly koala in Sydney, Australia
POLLY WANT A POP STAR
In an undated photo from PEOPLE, Jackson poses with a perky parrot. In the late '80s, the singer created a line of action figures featuring his favorite pets. The toys retailed for $25 each.
BOY'S BEST FRIEND
Before Bubbles and Louie, there was this German shepherd, the Jackson family pet. In this image from the 1970s, Jackson cuddles with the pooch, who lived at the family's Encino, Calif., home
