Animals aren't immune to the fickle tides of popular culture. Different breeds and novelties fall in and out of favour on a regular basis and anyone serious about staying on the cutting edge has euthanised their share of domestic pets over the years.
Thankfully, things have been less murderous in indie circles. The wolf has reigned supreme for the last decade despite strong competition from owls and alpacas. In that time we've seen countless wolf referencing bands (Wolf n Cub, Guitarwolf, Wolfmother, Wolf Panda!) and a mini-industry based around gaudy tee-shirt and sweater designs.
This remarkable staying power probably comes down to the animal's unobtainable quality. It's one thing to sport an ironically crap wolf tee-shirt, it's quite another to have an actual wolf roaming around your house mauling guests and knocking things over with its ridiculous tail.