Andy the Goose
In the late 1980s a goose was born in Harvard, Nebraska. Although this is a relatively common occurrence, this goose was different, as he was born with stumps for feet. Despite this, Andy's owner decided to fashion shoes for him and taught him to walk.
The sneaker-wearing goose became something of a local celebrity. Andy's fame became national when he was featured in this 1989 People Magazine article. He was also a "guest" on The Tonight Show that same year. When Nike learned that Andy preferred their brand of baby shoes, they sent him a crate, making him almost certainly the first goose to get a major sponsorship deal.
On October 19, 1991, Andy disappeared, and a day later he was found dead in a local park with his head and wings removed. The local community collected US$10,000 as a reward to apprehend the killer; however, the perpetrator could not be identified.