Above, Erica Strout of Motherfucker with her dachshund-beagle mix, Toula Maude. “The night before I adopted her, I worked my last shift at a restaurant where I'd been working for a long time. Then, I went to meet Toula, spent all the money I'd made the night before on her adoption and food, a new bed and leash and collar, and all that stuff. It's a decision I feel really good about,” says Strout. “I have started writing a couple of songs about Toula—she's such a character.”

Photo Credit: Savannah Cole

Mariah Parker, aka Linqua Franqa, with her cat, Eggs, whom she rescued four years ago. “Having someone to turn to, to blow off stress about creative anxieties, that isn’t a person is nice,” says Parker. “In the middle of working on music or being stressed-out about a creative situation, being able to stop and be like, ‘What’s up, buddy?’ Whatcha thinkin’? Whatcha doin’?’ is more important than people probably realize, because we take it so for granted.”

Photo Credit: Savannah Cole

Seth Martin of Georgia Dish Boys with his dog, Pete, a Tennessee Brindle cur who has made his home in Athens since February. “I haven’t written anything about him, but I do get song ideas while taking him on walks.” says Martin. Martin's bandmate Olivia Anderson, who rescued Pete, says her favorite thing about him is “his eyes. He’s very affectionate and loves to cuddle. When he gives me those sleepy eyes, he’s a little angel baby.”

Photo Credit: Savannah Cole

Leticia Guest of Small Beige Girl with her ferret, Francis, who will be 6 years old in November. “I am constantly singing songs to both of my pets. I make up songs about them and whatever they happen to be doing at that moment,” says Guest, who adds that her favorite thing about Francis is, “She always gets in the shower with me. She just stands there looking up at me and blinking. She's pretty weird.”

Photo Credit: Savannah Cole

Erin Lovett of Four Eyes and Patrick Brick of Futo with their dogs, Houdini, Zuzu and Phillip. Lovett has had Houdini for about six years, and adopted him when he was just a few months old. Lovett and Brick adopted Phillip and Zuzu together after they started dating. “I suspect that our dogs don't really like my music,” says Lovett. “They always leave the room when I start playing.”

Photo Credit: Savannah Cole

Lindy Erkes of Girl Banger with her cat, Toby. Erkes has had Toby for 12 years, when she rescued him from the basement of a co-worker’s house. “He doesn’t like a lot of loud noise, but he can get into the groove every now and then. He knows a good song when he hears it,” says Erkes.

Photo Credit: Savannah Cole

Will Griffin of These To with his cat, Ezra. “I’ve definitely been inspired by [pets], whether it’s using sounds they’ve made or writing words about them,” says Griffin. “These To have a song called ‘He’s My Boi,’ which is about Ezra and the other songwriter’s dog, JoJo.” Ezra has been a part of Griffin’s life for six years. “It’s pretty uplifting to come home to two sweet cats that are excited to have you. They mean the world to me,” says Griffin.