The History of Pets in Our Society

As everything in history, pets (or at least the concept) have evolved. The types of pets that people used to have in the past are not the same as we do now. But do you know how the idea of having an animal at home started?

Having animals in the early 1800's was not unusual. Animals were very useful for people as they provided muscle power, food and raw materials for producing goods. Dogs were used as guardians at the homes and their mission was to protect the homes of their masters from thieves. Cats were workers too. They were in charge of protecting the house nasty intruders such as rats or any other type of rodents.

So, human life in those days depended very much upon animals. People needed horses not only for their carriages, but businesses and public services too, like cabs, fire engines, the collection of the trash and the police wagons. There were "parking for horses" in the streets and all the building had spaces for these animals. Dogs and cats were needed to keep their homes safe; pigs, chickens, hens and roosters were needed for their food. So people one day decided to give all their animals the status of pets, as they were part of their families.

Through years, the role of dogs changed. We have said before that they were kept at home in order to provide security and some were also used for hunting, but later they were also kept as companions and playmates. So their roles changed gradually with time.

One thing that came to America with the European colonists was the practice of having songbirds in cages at home. They were very popular pets in those days, as trapping, selling and purchasing them at the markets was very easy. The most popular pet bird was the canary, which made its arrival in America around the year 1820.

Wealthy families in those years could afford having other type of pets, for example a goldfish. They were considered an object of ornament in the house and were very expensive. In the early 1850's the concept of aquarium was introduced and the amateur naturalists of those years where the most enthusiastic about them. Around the year 1910 wealthy people were not only satisfied with the local fish they could get in the country, so they began to import tropical fish. The demand for these pets grew so much that by the late 1920's stores started selling them.

Children wanted to have pets of their own too, so the ideal pets for children were the animals that were very easy to care for and gentle. These animals were mostly rabbits, guinea pigs, squirrels and white mice. These animals were easy to get, as they could be trapped and captured from the wild and then taken to the pet stores for sale. This was a common practice until the early 1910's. And in the years 1950's a new rodent pet was introduced to the market: the hamster. This animal caught the interest of most of the children and soon became the pet every kid wanted to have at home.

People and pets have always been very close and owners have always demonstrated how much they love them by treating them as another member of the family. If they had portraits of the family members, then they would have one done for their pet too. And when the pet died, the owner would arrange a proper burial and pay for a plot in the pet cemetery. This affection is something that has not and will not change with time. Pets will always be for many people the best companions in their lives.