The creators of Curious George, Hans (H.A.) and Margret were big animal fans, and whenever they visited a new city one of their first destinations was the zoo. Hans sometimes illustrated his books with drawings of their cocker spaniels. Hans was rather famous for rescuing injured animals and nursing them back to health. An orphaned chipmunk named Coffee, whom Hans had fed with an eyedropper and returned to the wild came back each summer to visit the Reys.