Zib - the great cosmonaut

Laika is the most famous dog used in Soviet Space program. It is the first Earth-born creature (other than microbes) in orbit (November 3rd, 1957). But before that, dogs were also used in sub-orbital flights. Dezik and Tsygan (Gypsy) were the first on 22 July 1951. Three other dog crews were launched before it was turn for a dog named Bolik (Big Bull), who ran away just days before his flight in September 1951. A replacement named ZIB (Zamena Ischeznuvshemu Boliku - "Substitute for Missing Bolik"), who was an untrained street dog grabbed off the streets of Moscow, made a successful flight with R-1B rocket (short range ballistic suborbital launch vehicle) on 3 September 1951.