A majority of people across the world enjoy the company and companionship of animals. Many of these people will even adopt animals and incorporate them into their family. The type of pet can range from a furry dog all the way to a scaly lizard. It depends on the type of person and what they want in a pet. A pet can be cuddly, or a pet can be a protector, an animal that makes you feel secure and safe. Many people get pets because they enjoy their company and like to have a friend. In some cases when people are not quite ready for a human child it is possible that they will get a pet instead to introduce them to the responsibility of taking care of another living thing. According to Christopher Beam in “Man’s First Friends,” pets date back thousands of years, starting around 13,000 to 30,000 years ago, with the dog being the first domesticated animal. In the beginning, the first domesticated dogs were practically just tame wolves. The wolves were first interested in human garbage and the ones that were brave enough to approach humans got fed. Dogs were then bred to help with different tasks. Other pets came later in time, sheep and goats were first domesticated around 11,000 years ago and cats became pets 7,000 years ago. Then around 4,000 years ago, people began using oxen, donkeys, and camels to aid in delivering goods. Today, pets a bred to be cuter and better companions, but can also still be bred to be useful in different ways. However, people generally get pets to have a cuddly and fun friend.

I asked a couple students at Issaquah High School their opinion on pets. Senior Ellie Brennock says that she has two dogs, one that is eight and the other that is almost one. Her favorite thing to do with her dogs is to play with them and take them to the park. Even though her dogs are cute and offer quality companionship, they still get into trouble. Her puppy chews everything that is in her sight. I then sought the insight of someone that does not have animal companion. Freshman Julia Wood says that she does not have a pet of her own but she certainly wants one. She says, “The best pet to have is either a dog due to their loyalty, or a horse because they are sweet and fun.” She says that she prefers big animals over small animals because they are easier to do things with, and that if she could have any type of pet she would have a dog. Sophomore, Michelle Kane says that she just has a single pet. She says, “I have a small dog and I enjoy walking, playing fetch and hiking with him.” Yet not all pets are well behaved; Kane says that her dog once scratched her neighbor and they called the police on him. She says that even though she has a relatively small sized pet, she still prefers bigger animals because they are more fun to play with. She was very excited to share that if she could have any pet, it would be a finger monkey, a cute, cuddly friend to spend time with her.

Many people enjoy doing slightly strange things with their pets. Most people would not imagine that one would walk their cat. However, the phenomenon is growing quickly. A lot of cats enjoy being able to smell and investigate different plants and objects in the outdoors. Not all cats will actually like going on walks, but it is fair to at least give them the chance. Almost all of the people interviewed said they did not particularly care whether people walked their cats; they just thought it was plain weird. Kane says that she thought that walking cats was so weird. Despite people being weirded out by the act of walking a cat, it is a safe way for people to allow their cat to explore the outdoors and let the cat and owner bond.

While walking cats on a leash is frequently debated topic, people flushing fish down the toilets is another one. At least two of the people that I interviewed did say that they would flush their fish when it passes away. Flushing fish down the toilet has become almost a tradition it seems, as doing so appears in many different movies, such as Nemo, and different TV shows as well. However, it has been found that flushing fish down the toilet is not a sustainable way to dispose of them once they are dead. According to Dr. Anne Fawcett on the “Daily Telegraph,” fish can carry many diseases that can be transmitted to native species. Many of these diseases have now been discovered in native fish and are contributing to the decrease of their populations. When the sad time comes, and your fish has passed away, bury it underneath your favorite tree and skip the quick reach to simply flush the toilet.

Some people become bored of the typical dog or cat, and are searching for a unique pet. Spiders and other creepy crawlers are surprisingly popular pets, despite how many people seem to despise them. All of the people that I interviewed said that they would not get a pet spider, due to the fact that they are incredibly creepy. Kane says, “No, I am scared of spiders, so I wouldn’t want to get one,” and Wood says, “No, because I’d be afraid of it escaping.” However, it has been shown that spiders, tarantulas in particular, can be fascinating pets that enjoy attention and can be quite interactive. One of the most popular spider types is the Chilean Rose, a type of tarantula that is beautiful and easy to care for.

Overall, people have many different types of pets and enjoy doing many different activities with their animals. From taking cats on walks to having your spider in class for show and tell, pets provide enjoyment and happiness for all types of people.