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A pet is an Animal kept for companionship and enjoyment, as opposed to Livestock , Laboratory Animal s, Working Animal s or Sport Animal s, which are kept for economic reasons. The most popular pets are noted for their loyal or playful characteristics, for their attractive appearance, or for their song. Pets also generally seem to provide their owners with non-trivial health benefits; keeping pets has been shown to help relieve stress. There is now a medically-approved class of "therapy animals," mostly dogs, who are brought to visit confined humans. Walking a Dog can provide both the owner and the dog with exercise, fresh air, and social interaction. Koko the gorilla is one of few examples of a non-human animal which has had an explicit pet. Using sign language, she requested a cat; her first pet was a kitten named All Ball , to which she was reported to be quite attached and mourned for several days after the cat escaped and was killed by a car. The GloFish is a genetically modified Fluorescent Zebrafish with bright red, green, and orange fluorescent color. It is the first genetically modified animal to become available as a pet. DOMESTICATION See Also: Domestication While in theory any animal might be a pet, in practice only a small number of species of Mammal s (especially Dog s and Cat s) and other small animals, such as Bird s, Fish , or Lizard s, are practical. One reason for this is that large animals are not able to fit inside small dwellings. In general, a pet must either be small enough (or easily controlled) for his or her undesirable behavioral tendencies to be negligible, or the animal must be actually Domesticable . Examples of the former are such animals as fish (including Carnivorous ones such as Piranha ), Chickens , Invertebrate s or small Reptile s. A few animals are sufficiently capable of adapting to human interaction to be considered domesticable. Dogs ("man's best friend") are considered to be a classic example of domesticated animals normally suited to being pets. Domestic dogs are quite similar to Wolves , but their physical form and behavior are characteristically different, more than mere differences in size, coat, or coloring. Behaviorally speaking, characteristic changes in dogs due to domestication include a prolonged Infancy , increased playfulness, and Barking . Wolves are far less playful and don't bark. Domestic cats appear to be less changed behaviorally by their association with humans, in comparison; however, they do fit the example of an animal being small enough to control. The same hunting tendencies that make domestic cats useful for control of vermin make its larger, wild relatives too dangerous for domestication. Even small wild felines, such as Bobcat s or Ocelot s, can seriously injure or kill a human. Primates have a wide variety of properties that can lead to being good pets, but most species have certain characteristics that exclude them from being ideal pets. Common Chimpanzee s — especially males — are not willing to allow humans to "take the lead" when they are adults, and as a result, they make for poor pets. Gorilla s, mainly female ones, are rather better in this respect, though considerably larger. Bonobo s, being more social than common chimpanzees, may be more suited to being pets when adult, but exhibit overt sexual behavior which is not accepted from pets in most human societies. Many Horse s and related animals are suitable for human companionship as pets or work animals, while Zebra s, otherwise quite similar, are not. Zebras use Biting as a means of expressing conflict within the herd, and this behavior seems quite unchangeable. By human standards, the biting would be rather savage. Horses and Donkey s, on the other hand, don't have a biting habit quite as deep-seated or dangerous. Many rodents such as Fancy Rats , Fancy Mice , and Golden Hamsters are commonly kept as household pets. Animals such as Reptiles are typically considered Exotic Pets . This may change in the future, as 'exotic' pet ownership is increasing rapidly. Some of these animals, such as green iguanas, large monitor lizard species, and large boids, do not make suitable pets for the average person as they require extensive housing and diet. They can also become quite aggressive if not regularly handled. Exotic mammals are also becoming increasingly more popular as pets. For example, the Domesticated Hedgehog has been selectively bred to the point where its physical characteristics no longer directly match its wild European and African counterparts. Many animal species are difficult to handle and cannot be pets for the general populace. Raptors, such as eagles and falcons, must be handled very carefully to avoid attacks on their handlers; the sport of Falconry is to a large extent ways of avoiding such outcomes, and so they are not really pets in the sense meant here. Large cats cannot become pets, as they do not reliably restrain their impulses (although Cheetahs are an exception and have been kept as pets in the past). Nor do the large bears, for similar reasons. Small monkeys can be human companions, but they are notoriously unable to defer their curiosity which leads to much destruction. Several of the Ferret and Otter varieties can be human companions. Raccoons also fit this example. They adapt easily to almost any environment, but resist domestication. A pet can be acquired from an Animal Shelter , a Breeder , and from private transactions, typically due to the giving away of extra newborns after the birth of a litter. See also Pet Adoption . Because of environmental and public safety concerns, some pets are illegal in many jurisdictions. TERMINOLOGY The term "pet" may also be applied to humans, usually in an endearing way by a lover, significant other, or partner. Calling another person a pet, though, can just as easily be considered an insult (see " Plaything "). The term "pet" has also been adapted in terminology as something you own, in the sense that it is personal to you, for example Pet Peeve (or pet hate) means something that personally very much annoys you. In Veterinary Medicine , Dog s and Cat s are often considered "household" pets, while all other animals are grouped into either "farm animals" (such as Horse s, Cow s, or Sheep ) or "exotics" (including Pocket Pet s, birds, and Reptiles ). PETS AND ALLERGIES Some people with allergies can have adverse reactions to animal Dander and Fur or Feathers . Some people with asthma can have attacks triggered by these. However, research supports that people who have been exposed to dogs and cats as pets from an early age actually develop an immunoresistance to these allergens. {Link without Title} LOCAL RESTRICTIONS Many cities and towns have local ordinances limiting the number of pets a person may have, and may also restrict or forbid certain pets (such as fowl or exotics). The cities of Berkeley , California and Boulder , Colorado have passed laws stating that people who have pets do not "own" them; rather, they are the pet's "guardian." Condominium associations and rental properties often ban animals because of the smells and noise the animals create. OVERPOPULATION SEE ALSO
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