Are animal names capitalised in sentences?

The general rule for capitalisation of animal names is as follows: common names of animals are not capitalised, while proper names of specific animals are. That said, there are certain nuances and exceptions to this rule, so it's important to consider the context in which the animal name is being used. Proper names of certain animal species (e.g., German Shepherd) are capitalised.

Examples of common names not capitalised:

• A cat sat on the porch.

• The elephant was playing in the water.

• We saw a monkey swinging from a tree.

Examples of proper names capitalised:

• My dog, Sparky, loves to play fetch.

• Luna the cat is very affectionate.

• We went to the zoo and saw Charlie, the chimpanzee.

Remember, the key is to consider the specific context and the role of the animal name within the sentence to determine whether capitalisation is necessary.