What purpose do pets serve?

[Capt Caveman]

I suspect by the end of this thread, they will serve the purpose of dividing people over which pet is best, baseless accusations, and general trolling.

Well, we know the OP is a troll.

 

[Jeeebus]

I find tremendous pleasure in hunting down and picking up about 25 lbs of poop every couple of days. It's cathartic.

 

[Jaepheth]

Dogs are for defense and herding. They keep the livestock in line and the coyotes at bay.

Cats keep the rat population down and hopefully help prevent them from bringing diseases to your front door and eating all your stored and preserved foodstuffs.

 

[Deeko]

Because this should make you happy.

 

[SillyOReilly]

Humans are pack animals.

We also like to think of ourselves as above something, better than something.

So I see people with pets, "providing" for them because they have enough resources that they CAN (a comfort right there), and feeling appreciated.

I see people, especially elderly, immigrants, or menial workers, feeding squirrels and pigeons quite often. Pigeons. Rats with wings. Poop machines.

It makes them feel better.

The place you do NOT see pets are in areas where you have to decide whether you eat or they eat. In some countries, you eat them. Sounds "mean", but that is "life". We just seem to forget about it while we post online about what we saw or heard on TV or through "the tubes".

:whiste:

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

Because this should make you happy.

Is that a heeler of some kind?

 

[Deeko]

Is that a heeler of some kind?

He's some sort of lab mix:

 

[Ninjahedge]

SOR: Yep.

I would say most of the people here are ranked above pigeons.

 

[Texashiker]

I would say most of the people here are ranked above pigeons.

Pigeon is a member of the quail family. I heard they taste like chicken.

I used to work with a man who raced pigeons, the losers were eaten.

 

[Scotteq]

Pigeon is a member of the quail family. I heard they taste like chicken.

I used to work with a man who raced pigeons, the losers were eaten.

...that explains your puppy, I guess.

Early on: assistance with hunting, herding the livestock, better then human hearing and smell to warn of danger and, if it came down to it... dogs are food that follows you.

cats are excellent for keeping rodent populations down.

..plus (many/most) people enjoy having them around

 

[summit]

didn't you have a dog with your wife like last year?

 

[Ns1]

You can dress them up

 

[homercles337]

When a person gets old and requires medical care, or special treatment, do we "owe" anything to the person? Wouldn't it be cheaper and more humane to put the human down then to take care of it? Or do our feelings of attachment get in the way of making the best logical decision?

Anthropomorphism. Look it up.

 

[preslove]

I have my dog trained off leash to the point that I can take him to a soccer field and direct where he runs and how he changes direction. Then I throw a ball to where he's running and he catches it. Other times, I take him to a parking lot and kick a racket ball to (or behind, or in front) him. The police see me all the time, but never stop me or kick me off of public property (both of my daily spots are) because I'm a 30 year old white non-hippy/redneck dude, my dog is obviously well trained, it's clear that I'm not on the property just to give the dog a place to shit, and it's pretty entertaining for people to watch.

It would take me years to train a kid to do that while costing so much more in emotional energy and money. And you don't need to find a sane, put together, and fuckable woman to make a dog.

btw, I'm not surprised that the op killed his dog with negligence...

 

[Barfo]

The internet demands a constant stream of cat pictures.

 

[alkemyst]

What purpose does humanity serve?

humanity as a whole is great, you not so much.

 

[HardcoreRobot]

Theres probably a few acceptable answers, but 'to be neglected and die an early death' surely isnt one of them

 

[Texashiker]

humanity as a whole is great,

You did not explain what purpose humanity serves.

The majority of this thread seems to agree that pets are kept for companionship. But since a couple of you want to bring up humanity, what purpose do we serve?

 

[thedarkwolf]

They keep me from becoming a huge fat ass. If I didn't have to walk the dogs everyday I'd just sit on the couch watching tv all day.

 

[Ns1]

The majority of this thread seems to agree that pets are kept for companionship. But since a couple of you want to bring up humanity, what purpose do we serve?

Destroy everything in our path

 

[Texashiker]

Destroy everything in our path

That I can agree with.

Its a complex and perplexing situation.

In one hand, we destroy everything in our path and leave a wake of destruction.

In the other hand, we take care of animals who have become dependent on us.

 

[Ns1]

In the other hand, we take care of animals who have become dependent on us.

They assist us in destroying everything in our path.

 

[OVerLoRDI]

They are there so your grandkids can feed them pizza.

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2195006.html

Lol, good memory and a great thread.

 

[ViviTheMage]

to pick up ladies, and she's awesome ... her as a pup

all grown up

 

[JulesMaximus]

The thread about cats got me to thinking, what purpose do pets serve?

To give me something to test my brakes out on during my morning commute! :sneaky: