<P> The Secret Life of Pets is a 2016 American computer - animated comedy film produced by Illumination Entertainment . It is directed by Chris Renaud, and co-directed by Yarrow Cheney, and written by Brian Lynch, Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio . The film stars Louis C.K., Eric Stonestreet, Kevin Hart, Steve Coogan, Ellie Kemper, Bobby Moynihan, Lake Bell, Dana Carvey, Hannibal Buress, Jenny Slate and Albert Brooks . </P> <P> The Secret Life of Pets premiered at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival on June 16, 2016, and was released in theaters in the United States on July 8, 2016, by Universal Pictures . The film received generally positive reviews and grossed $875 million worldwide, becoming the highest - grossing original animated film not produced by Disney or Pixar, as well as the sixth highest - grossing film of 2016, and was the year's most profitable release . A sequel is set for release on June 7, 2019 . </P> <P> A Jack Russell Terrier named Max lives with his owner Katie in a Manhattan apartment . While she is at work during the day, he hangs out with other pets in the building: tabby cat Chloe, pug Mel, dachshund Buddy, and budgerigar Sweet Pea . One day, Katie adopts Duke, a large mongrel from the pound, leaving Max jealous because of her divided focus on Duke . Enraged by Max's attitude towards him, Duke tries to abandon Max in an alley, but they are both attacked by cats led by Sphynx cat Ozone who removed both dogs' collars and leave them to be caught by Animal Control . Duke fears that he will be put down if he goes back to the pound . To her desperation, Gidget, a white Pomeranian actually discovers that Max is missing . </P> <P> Meanwhile, he and Duke are rescued by a white rabbit named Snowball, the leader of "The Flushed Pets"--a gang of sewer - dwelling animals who hate humans because their owners mistreated them . After Max and Duke pretend to despise humans as much as they do by saying they killed their owners, the Flushed Pets invite them to join . Before they can prove their loyalty by allowing a one - fanged viper to bite them, Snowball learns from the cats that Max and Duke are domesticated . The two dogs escape the sewers and board a ferry to Brooklyn, inadvertently killing the viper in the process; Snowball vows to kill them and leads the Flushed Pets after them . </P>

Name of bird in secret life of pets