Domestic Pets (The Role of Pets)

From the very beginning of human history man has been known to exercise powers over others. For exercising these powers he tames some innocent but useful animals and birds. That is why man has been keeping domestic pets. He showers his love on them and looks after their welfare because he expects perfect obedience from them. There are different kinds of pets which people keep. The selection of pets is a matter of personal choice.

It is very difficult to know for certain why we keep pets. Perhaps he reason is that by nature man is a loving creature. He hungers for affection and obedience. People who keep pets are so attached to them that they cannot bear to part with them. Their love for them is so great that they will cheerfully suffer every discomfort for their sake. These pets, in their turn, love their masters. There are stories which tell how useful and obedient they have proved to be in times of emergency.

The most popular among domestic pets, in the west, is the dog, but in the east, cats are liked more than the dogs. No doubt the dog is a very useful animal, and amply deserves the affection of his master. On several occasions dogs have saved their master’s life, by sacrificing their own. Dogs are of different breed, size and colours according to the land where they come from. The dogs found in celand are as white as snow. They are thickly covered with big curly hair. The dogs that we find in Pakistan are of many colours. Most of them are white, gray or black. Some have no hair on them. The tropical climate does not require much covering. Then, there are grey-hounds, bull-dogs, stag-hounds, blood-hounds and terriers. All pet dogs return their love by keeping a watch of their master’s house. People fondle them as if they were little children, and shower great love on them.

Another common pet in Pakistan is the cat. Cats like human association and have a loving disposition. No effort is needed to tame them. Every cat has a smooth and glossy fur. She is a great favorite with children and women. Cats like milk and meat, and would mew at the very tight of it. Many people are fond of birds. They are of many colours and plumages, many of them are loved for their sweet songs and manners. One of those is parrot. People are pleased to pet glistening green feathers. And there is the “maina”, the bird which so faithfully mimics human voice. Then there are patridges and nightingales. Some people go about with their pet birds on the arm simply as a mark of show. In the last century almost man in big cities of the indo-pak subcontinent, particularly if he was connected with the court or royal family, tamed these pets. Taming and training pet birds for the market is virtually an art. Old Nawabs arranged pigeon-fights. Cock-fights are still a common feature in Sindh the winner birds bring fame to their owners. But as western education has brought in new hobbies, these older ones are looked down upon. To-day no one cares to attend a bird-tournament. Our contact with the west has taken away much of the poetry of life, and we take little interest in such old things as bird fights etc. we are more busy elsewhere.

Man has been keeping pets for centuries. Doves and parrots were very common in the middle ages, and the sky resounded with fact, domestic pets have done much to soften the brute nature of man throughout his march towards culture, fellowship and civilization.