What are pets?
Animals kept by humans for the source of pleasure and company are called pets.
A pet is generally kept for the pleasure it can give to its owner, often, especially with horses, dogs, and cats, as well as with some other domesticated animals; this pleasure appears to be mutual. Thus, pet keeping can be described as a symbiotic relationship that benefits both animals and humans. The keeping of pets has been practiced from early times to the present, and pets are found in nearly every society and culture. Pet keeping satisfies a deep, universal human need.
History to pet adoptation
Animal domestication and pet history are closely related; since dogs were the first domesticated species, they were probably also the first pets. The common habit of humans keeping captured young wild animals as pets was a major factor in the first stages of domestication. Eventually, the dogs and their human captors were able to operate cooperatively. The dog could be very useful for hunting and guarding since it was faster, had stronger jaws, and was more adept at tracking animals. In contrast, the dogs could always count on humans to provide them with food and warmth from the fire.
Interaction with Dogs
Based on the drawings and sculptures discovered by archaeologists in ancient campsites and cemeteries, there is a suggestion that dogs have been tamed and kept as pets since Paleolithic times. Dogs resembling the modern mastiff were observed taking part in a lion hunt in Mesopotamia. Ancient Egyptian family scenes regularly featured domestic pets; lap dogs were commonplace, sometimes sitting beneath their master’s or mistress’s chair, while hunting dogs of the greyhound or saluki breed accompanied their owner on the pursuit.
Which animals are considered pets?
Cats and horses are the animals that are closely related to humans, after dogs. Unexpectedly, the domestication of these two animal groups occurred quite late in human history. Although there is no proof that horses were domesticated in the Paleolithic or Mesolithic periods, the Middle East had a well-established practice of using horses in chariot wars by the year 2000 BCE. The art of riding on horses appears to have originated several centuries later (see horsemanship). It appears that domesticating cats as pets did not begin until Egypt’s New Kingdom era, which began in the 16th century BCE. This is even more peculiar considering that, from the Old Kingdom era on, the ancient Egyptians domesticated various animals, including dogs, lions, hyenas, monkeys, and the Nile geese. However, cats gained immense popularity after being domesticated. Over time, cats developed to be among the most widely revered animals.
Human relations with pets
As said previously, affection is the main characteristic that sets apart a pet-owner relationship. Even though many of these animals benefit humans, the interaction level between pets and other commercially valuable livestock sets them apart. This relationship has frequently been overly sentimentalized in literature, art, and myth. Owner of a pet in the modern era, as seen by the success of canine movie stars like Rin Tin Tin and Lassie.
But the bond between a pet and its owner goes beyond simple affection; since the beginning of domestication, pets have served useful, commercial purposes. One of the most basic purposes of pets is to hunt and catch other animals for their human masters. In addition to dogs, cats, hyenas, and lions have also been employed.
The noble, somewhat mysterious activity of falconry utilized hawks’ innate ability to help hunt game birds. Additionally, pets have been used to protect other animals, their owners’ homes or territories, or even the owners themselves. Dogs are the most well-known pets that can be deployed as guards; however, any species with keen senses of smell or hearing and the ability to create a lot of noise when agitated can be used. One theory is that the Nile goose, a popular house pet among the ancient Egyptians, may have fulfilled this function. Pets, especially dogs, can also be used practically for guarding and herding cattle. Numerous specialized dog breeds have been created over the ages to fit.
Categories of pets
Pet animals can be categorized based on the kind of space or environment they often reside in. Home pets include dogs, cats, and birds like parakeets and canaries. Other birds housed in aviaries include magpies, jays, and crow family members. When housed as pets, reptiles and amphibians often need specific temperatures and humidity levels. They are, therefore, best kept in glass enclosures known as vivaria. Toads, frogs, turtles, snakes, and lizards are the most popular vivarium pets. Usually, aquariums are used to keep the fish. Fishing is a whole other industry in the pet world, with a global market for stock supplies, breeding, transportation, and capturing.
Pets in cabinets, sometimes called cages, can be housed indoors and outdoors in safe environments. These animals include gerbils, rats, mice, guinea pigs, rabbits, and, more recently, chinchillas. Pets that need to be stabled outdoors are known as paddock animals, including donkeys, mules, horses, and ponies. Insects of various species are also kept as pets. These include ants (kept in constructed nests) and walking-stick insects (kept in basic containers at ambient temperature).
Conclusion
Ultimately, the pet market has grown self-sustaining, with animals raised for various uses, including reproducing. Breeding pets with show potential can lead to successful show careers. It is possible to breed other pets for racing or other competitive sports, which has spawned whole industries.
