Laika (whose name means “barker”) was a 3-year-old mongrel stray wandering the streets of Moscow when she was picked up and taken to a secret Soviet space laboratory. Scientists selected strays because they had already learned to adapt to cold and harsh conditions. - See more at: http://www.rocketcityspacepioneers.com/space/first-dog-in-space#sthash.1N47Imki.dpuf