Are pets necessary?

Recently, a foreign friend asked me why Americans "love" pets (especially dogs) so much and I really couldn't give him an answer other than it's a product of our culture. After pondering, I decided that maybe our society has become so affluent, lonely, and bored that we have created friends and companions out of animals. ...and do animals really love back or is it a projection/reflection of ourselves? Additionally, could pet owners have a psychological need/disposition toward pets? Personally, I enjoy the wild animals on my property, but have no desire to own pets. Is my thinking out of line with current thinking?

Answer:
The Canid (specifically the Grey wolf) has a long association with the Homo Sapien dating back to at least 50,000 yrs ago in the Mid East. It is probable that this association led to the success of what we know as human kind. Dogs (actually the grey wolf) have superior hearing, sight & smell & therefore became invaluable guards of the campsite & human children as well as valuable hunting companions.
Because the wolf's pack society so closely fits the human model of family or tribe they quickly fit in with the early human society & migrated to all parts of the World with them.. Therefore it is not at all surprising that dogs & humans are drawn to each other by a bond that few of us really understand. Note that every culture in the World has at one time had dogs. Some have managed to use religion to deny the close association to dogs, but it exists regardless of what they would have you believe. I suspect it is natural for humans to love their grey wolf... regardless of how we have genetically engineered them in the last 6,000 yrs or so.
Depends on the person. Some of us have a strong connection with nature. Pets can be a great stress relief.
I know my pets love me.
no ther gay
Personally, I do not have any pets and do not desire to have any. Pets are o.k. for some people but I do not want anything I am responsible for feeding everyday, cleaning up after, and so forth. I would rather volunteer.
No you are in line. Mendell's book of mentals says that dogs do love back, but cat's don't. Therefore you should only cry over a dead dog. Never cry over something that can't cry over you. Hope this helps.
pets provide unconditional love, something i think many americans (myself included) don't get from our so-called loved-ones.

yes, animals do love back. if you cat grooms you or kneads you, he loves you. if you dog constantly follows you around, licks you and wants to protect you, he loves you.

i don't think pet owners have a need to have pets, but once you own one, it's hard to let them go.

each person is different when it comes to pets. i think it's kinda like kids: i like them as long as they're not mine.

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