This page is about domestic animals. For several meanings of the acronym PET, see PET.
A pet or companion animal is an animal that is kept by humans for companionship and enjoyment, rather than for economic reasons. The most popular are noted for their loyal or playful characteristics or their beautiful appearance or song.
While in theory one could keep a blue whale as a pet, in practice a small number of species of mammals, especially dogs and cats, and other animals such as birds have dominated the pet scene for a very long time. Fish have joined them more recently. Many of these are domesticated while others, often considered novelty pets, are not. With the exception of iguanas and non-venomous snakes, few reptiles and amphibians make good pets.
The glofish, a genetically modifiedzebrafish with a bright red fluorescent color is the first genetically modified (GM) animal to be engineered as a pet.
A pet can be acquired from a pet store, an animal shelter, a breeder, and sometimes from people who have too many due to births. See also Dog adoption.
Where animal welfare issues are either neglected or poorly understood due to limited knowledge and public awareness, the member Associations of the WSAVA agree to use their influence and veterinary knowledge to educate the community about animals and to increase community awareness of all issues affecting animal welfare.
No companionanimal should be trained in such a way that is detrimental to its health and welfare, especially by methods which force it to exceed its natural capacities or strength or by employing artificial training aids which may cause physical injury, pain, suffering or distress.
The Chairperson of the WSAVA CompanionAnimal Welfare Committee shall be appointed by the Assembly of the WSAVA for a five-year term.
With millions of animals under the control of humans worldwide, it is one of the most visible animal welfare issues today.
WSPA aims to show that taking proper care of working animals is in the best interests of both animals and their owners.
Through a range of projects, WSPA is working to ensure that individuals responsible for working animals know how to care for them correctly and have the right equipment for the tasks undertaken.
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