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The Decision to Get a Pet Requires Careful Thought

The decision to get a pet is a big one. Think about it carefully, before commitment. You could have any number of reasons. Perhaps you're seeking companionship -- a fellow creature of the animal kingdom to hold, to talk to, to cuddle, to nurture... in short, to pet. The very definition of the word "pet" is a broad one. This word with Middle English roots can be used as a noun, a verb and an adjective. It is a beloved animal, a gentle touch or a cherished object. And pets are certainly all those things.

Perhaps you live alone and think you would enjoy having a dog to accompany you on your evening walks. A cat could purr in your lap while you're knitting, reading or watching your favorite movie ot tv program. Or maybe you're trying to decide between feathers and fins -- and you need a place to help you discover the pros and cons.

If you have a family, maybe you're tired of the kids bringing home bugs, earthworms and crickets in a determined effort to adopt a pet in spite of your objections. Whatever your motivation, you can rest assured it is not a singular one. Humankind has been keeping pets for anywhere from 15,000 to 30,000 years. Today, more than half of all American and British households have pets.

In 1996, the American Veterinary Medical Association undertook a sample survey of 80,000 households. As you can see, you're not alone in your desire to have a pet.

Household Pet Ownership, 1996	Dog	Cat	Bird	Horse
Households owning pets (millions)	31.20	27.00	4.60	1.50
Percent of all households	31.60%	27.30%	4.60%	1.50%
Average number owned	1.70	2.20	2.70	2.70
Total pet population (millions)	52.90	59.10	12.60	4.00

Source: American Veterinary Medical Association, Schaumburg, IL, Pet Ownership and Demographics Sourcebook, 1997.

A March 15, 1996 article in Time [magazine] for Kids, lists dogs as the number one favorite for American households with 37% of those surveyed saying they owned a dog. Cats were a close second at 31%, followed by birds at 6%, fish at 3% and horses at 3%. Other conflicting studies show cats gaining or even surpassing dogs in popularity.

In the Beginning: A Brief History of Pets

The domestication of animals was a gradual process, most likely begun in the Middle Stone Age (13,000 BC). The first evidence of domesticated animals was found in the biblical city of Jericho in Palestine about 12,000 BC. Dogs, goats and even gazelles were kept as pets. It's not unusual to find tame gazelles in ancient Egyptian paintings. Of course, the most famous pets of Egypt were cats, and they were worshipped as deities.

No one truly knows how or why animals were domesticated, but there are two basic theories. One theory is that they were domesticated to serve humans; dogs were hunting partners and cats were mousers. The second theory is that they were companions first, and helpmates later. According to theory number one, it was almost an accident that they later became our companions. But our ancestors were human, and humans tend to find comfort in being with other living beings.

From the pet's point of view, humans seem to make pretty good company. Most animals are social by nature. The ancestors of dogs were pack animals with highly developed social organizations. Cats and even small animals, like hamsters and guinea pigs, live in complex hierarchical colonies in the wild. Domesticated pets are the kind of creatures who need people, and for the most part, they benefit from their relationship with us, not only mentally but physically. Recent studies show that in both dogs and horses, heart rate and blood pressure decrease during grooming or petting. And whatever their original purpose, pets have now found their way firmly into our hearts and homes.

New Arrivals?

• Dogs, 12,000 BC (possibly earlier): The first domesticated animal is also the most popular animal today, the dog. The dog has been called man's best friend for centuries.
• Horses, 5,000 BC: The original wild horse evolved into what is now called America, but migrated by way of Alaska long before domestication began. Pre-agricultural nomadic peoples discovered that their strength and intelligence made them good pack animals. Most wild horses today are actually descendants of tame horses that escaped or were set free by their owners.
• Cats, 3,000 BC: In ancient Egypt, the first appearance of the domesticated cat was in the New Kingdom period. From ancient paintings it appears that the cat was still close to its wild state, with coloration much like a present-day tabby. At some point they became objects of worship, like the cat goddess, Bastet. And when cats died, their owners went into mourning and mummified their pets just as they did their other family members.
• Fish, 2,000-3,000 BC: Ancient Sumerians kept fish in ponds more than 4,500 years ago, and as early as 1,000 BC, the Chinese are known to have raised carp for food. Goldfish breeding was widespread during the Sung dynasty (from the 10^th to the 13^th century). The Chinese also prized goldfish as symbols of wealth.
• Ferrets, 450 BC: The first mention of ferrets in written text is by Aristotle in the 4^th Century BC, but since he speaks of animals already domesticated, it's likely they had already been around for hundreds of years. Ferrets were not introduced in the US until the 1800s.
• Rabbits, 449 BC (or the Middle Ages): The Romans are known to have kept and bred rabbits in captivity, but they never quite tamed them; they couldn't keep the rabbits from digging out of their enclosures. It was not until the Middle Ages that they were successfully domesticated by monks. Humans have always found some use for rabbits. They have been bred not only for pets, but also for genetic studies, for laboratory experiments, for their fur and for food.
• Guinea Pigs, 900-1,000 AD: They are not from Guinea and are not pigs -- no one seems to know how they got their name. They are actually from Peru where they were first domesticated by the Incas for food. They can still be found wild in their natural habitat.
• Canaries, 1600: They are descendants of a wild bird native to the forests of the Canary Islands. When the Spanish conquered the islands in the fifteenth century, they began a lively trade in the birds. Canaries have served humans as "suicide pilots," when they were used to test for toxic fumes in underground mines.
• Parakeets, (Budgerigars or budgies) 1840: The first budgie owner was an English convict, Thomas J. Watling, a counterfeiter who spent his exile in Australia painting birds; he taught at least one to talk. They were first exported to England during the early 19^th century.
• Hamsters, 1930s: All golden hamsters in captivity today are supposedly descendants of one litter discovered in Syria in 1930; at the time, they were referred to as Syrian mice. Professor Aharoni who discovered them sent a batch to England in 1931 and the rest as they say, is history.
• Gerbils, 1930s-1950s: Some species of gerbils are known to live in the arid parts of Asia, the Middle East and Africa, but only the Mongolian variety is widely sold in the US. It was first imported in 1954 from northwest Mongolia for laboratory use.

Can Pets Keep the Doctor Away?

If you are having difficulty making the "Big Decision," consider that you might just get a better return on your investment in pet food than you do on your investment in the stock market. There is mounting evidence that pets contribute to the emotional and physical health of their human owners. They can reduce your risk of heart disease, lower your blood pressure and, if you are married, they might help make your union a happier one. Recent studies are also revealing that they can raise a child's IQ scores, cognitive and social skills, as well as help that child to develop compassion and positive self-esteem.

Of course, pets still help us in other ways. Seeing-eye dogs help the blind to live full, rich lives, and hearing dogs help the deaf to "hear" sounds. And there are innumerable police dogs, drug dogs and rescue dogs that all make it part of their daily routines to keep us safe from harm. Their courage and unfailing loyalty set an example for us all. But there are also thousands of companion animal programs across the country that use cats, birds or rabbits, in addition to dogs, in nursing homes and hospitals, and these animals are heroic in their own right.

Modern Pets, or Who Owns Who?

With all the benefits of pet ownership, it's no wonder that some owners will go to any lengths to keep their pets healthy and happy -- and occasionally just plain pampered. From dinners of filet mignon to spa vacations and for-canines-only delis and fast food restaurants, facilities for pampered pets are popping up all over. And naturally, celebrities are among the first to be extravagant. Daryl Hannah, for example, jokingly claims that she needs to work just to pay the vet bills on her five horses. There are more than a few pooches out there with air-conditioned dog houses, and at least one who sports a mink coat in the wintertime. You've seen cat collars with rhinestones? Try diamonds and sapphires for the cat who has everything. Or then again, perhaps a simple scratching post will do.

No matter how much we want to give them, time, attention and understanding are what our pets crave most. That's often the hardest thing to come by, but it is absolutely vital to the happiness of the pets we love so well.

Why do we go so dog-gone crazy for pets anyway? Because they're worth it, of course! And with so many different kinds to choose from, there's a perfect pet for everyone.

Source for this article: our affiliate partner: Petco