diff --git a/examples/theBird.js b/examples/theBird.js
index c7fd5a38b7..02b2e7fc5d 100644
--- a/examples/theBird.js
+++ b/examples/theBird.js
@@ -20,7 +20,9 @@ for (i = 0; i < l; i++) {
     print(roles[i]);
 }
 
-// replace point with the bird!
+MyAvatar.prefetchAnimation(THE_BIRD_RIGHT_URL);
+
+// replace point animations with the bird!
 MyAvatar.overrideRoleAnimation("rightHandPointIntro", THE_BIRD_RIGHT_URL, 30, false, 0, 12);
 MyAvatar.overrideRoleAnimation("rightHandPointHold", THE_BIRD_RIGHT_URL, 30, false, 12, 12);
 MyAvatar.overrideRoleAnimation("rightHandPointOutro", THE_BIRD_RIGHT_URL, 30, false, 19, 30);
diff --git a/libraries/animation/src/Rig.cpp b/libraries/animation/src/Rig.cpp
index e1cc5ec7f5..94e98457fd 100644
--- a/libraries/animation/src/Rig.cpp
+++ b/libraries/animation/src/Rig.cpp
@@ -180,7 +180,10 @@ void Rig::restoreRoleAnimation(const QString& role) {
 
 void Rig::prefetchAnimation(const QString& url) {
     if (_enableAnimGraph) {
-        // TODO:
+        // This will begin loading the NetworkGeometry for the given URL.
+        // which should speed us up if we request it later via overrideAnimation.
+        auto clipNode = std::make_shared<AnimClip>("prefetch", url, 0, 0, 1.0, false);
+        _prefetchedAnimations.push_back(clipNode);
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/libraries/animation/src/Rig.h b/libraries/animation/src/Rig.h
index cd5152152a..191029f2af 100644
--- a/libraries/animation/src/Rig.h
+++ b/libraries/animation/src/Rig.h
@@ -265,6 +265,7 @@ public:
     SimpleMovingAverage _averageLateralSpeed { 10 };
 
     std::map<QString, AnimNode::Pointer> _origRoleAnimations;
+    std::vector<AnimNode::Pointer> _prefetchedAnimations;
 
 private:
     QMap<int, StateHandler> _stateHandlers;