So what is a "pet"?

Question

No thumbs down and no mean answers, just answer honestly. Which of these animals do you consider pets? And what makes an animal a "pet" ?

1. Dog

2. Cat

3. Bird

4. Rabbit/Guinea Pig

5. Mouse/Rat

6. Gerbil/Hamster

7. Ferret

8. Hedgehog/Sugar Glider/Chinchilla

9. Snake

10. Lizard

11. Frog/Turtle

12. Horse

13. Goat/Pig

14. Fish

15. Insects (Tarantula, Scorpion, Mantis, etc.)

16. Wolf/Fox

17. Large Wildcats

18. Deer

19. Chickens/Ducks/Geese

20. Monkeys

Answer 1

1. Dog---Pet

2. Cat---Pet

3. Bird---Pet

4. Rabbit/Guinea Pig---Pet

5. Mouse/Rat---Pet

6. Gerbil/Hamster---Pet

7. Ferret---Pet

8. Hedgehog/Sugar Glider/Chinchilla--Pet

9. Snake---Pet

10. Lizard---Pet

11. Frog/Turtle---Pet

12. Horse---Pet

13. Goat/Pig---Pet

14. Fish---Pet

15. Insects (Tarantula, Scorpion, Mantis, etc.)---Pet

16. Wolf/Fox---Wild

17. Large Wildcats---Wild

18. Deer---Wild

19. Chickens/Ducks/Geese---Pet

20. Monkeys----Wild

To me, anything that I can domesticate and care for is my pet. Regardless if I raise it as livestock and sell it, as long as it's on my property, it is my pet. And my responsibility.

Answer 2

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

and 12 i would have any of thoes as a pet

Answer 3

1. Dog = pet

2. Cat = pet

3. Bird = pet or wild animal; some species shouldn't be kept as pets

4. Rabbit/Guinea Pig = pet (both) or livestock (rabbits only)

5. Mouse/Rat = pet or vermin

6. Gerbil/Hamster = pet

7. Ferret  = pet  (domesticated) or wild animal (wild ferrets)

8. Hedgehog/Sugar Glider/Chinchilla  = pet

9. Snake  = pet

10. Lizard  = pet

11. Frog/Turtle  = pet or wild animal; some species shouldn't be kept as pets

12. Horse  = pet

13. Goat/Pig  = pet or livestock

14. Fish  = semi-pet

15. Insects (Tarantula, Scorpion, Mantis, etc.)   = semi-pet or vermin

16. Wolf/Fox = wild animals, don't make good pets

17. Large Wildcats = wild animals, don't make good pets

18. Deer = wild animals, don't make good pets

19. Chickens/Ducks/Geese = pet or livestock

20. Monkeys = wild animals, don't make good pets

An animal being a pet is one that can be well-cared for in captivity; and it's a good situation for both the pet and the pet-owner.

And my personal preference is to have pets that interact with me (i.e. I'd choose a dog over a fish).

.

Answer 4

whatevr can be domesticated or tamed is a pet. I have a sugar glider.

Answer 5

Whatever animal can be legally kept and fed by humans, which is not raised for food and is loved like a member of the family is a pet.

Answer 6

I think any of them can be a pet for somebody. The general population though should probably stick to the easiest to keep ones.. There are hard core snake lovers out there that have their reticulated pythons in a bedroom of their own converted into one giant snake cage. I think those people should be able to have that snake, but, I think the idiot that gets it and sticks it in a tank and releases it when it gets too big should be fined big time.

I haven't had anything from category 16,17,20 and I believe that for safety reasons there should be special licensing requirements including enclosure inspection to own those categories. HOWEVER, I still think they should be legal for those few dedicated people that will provide quality care for them. Should they be stolen from the wild for that purpose? Not in those categories, but, there are plenty already in captivity.

What makes an animal a pet is someone's willingness and desire to keep an animal for companionship and provide it with a quality life. One man's pet though may be another man's pest or food animal. Some people keeping an animal as a pet should not make that animal no longer legal to have for food. Rabbit is a very environmentally friendly meat, we should be eating a lot more of it then beef. BUT, some animal rights groups want to ban it by having rabbit declared a companion animal. While I do have pet rabbits, I would still buy rabbit meat if it was in my local grocery store.

Answer 7

I would say a pet is an animal that depends on your care for it's survival and cant live in the wild on it's own. Any of those animals could be pets.

Answer 8

ALL OF THEM! =D A pet (for me at least) is any animal that you keep solely for companionship (e.g. not for farm labor and stuff...) So even if you were talking about a...giant veloceraptor...if it was your friend then I'd say it's a pet. =D

Answer 9

1, 2, 3 (domestically bred), 4, 5 (domestically bred), 6, 7, 8 (not hedgehog), 9, 10, 12, 14.

To me, pets are animals that you own, but also serve little or no other purpose to humans. For example, none of the animals I picked are used for milking or meat, but rabbits etc. are occasionally used for fur- however, this isn't a need, it's a human want.

So pets are animals that-

You own.

Serve little or no other need to humans.

Domesticated and require human attention.

Answer 10

I consider them all pets. As long as it's legal and you can take good care of it, any of them can make a great family member.

EDIT: Except for wolves and foxes. They were meant to stay in the wild.