History of Pets

Dogs were likely the first animals domesticated, around 20,000–40,000 years ago, as humans and wolves shared resources. A 14,700-year-old burial in Bonn-Oberkassel, Germany, shows a dog buried with humans, suggesting companionship. Genetic studies from Siberian wolf bones indicate early dogs aided hunting and guarded camps, strengthening human survival.

Cats followed around 9,500 years ago in the Near East, with a Cyprus burial from 7500 BCE showing a cat beside a human, hinting at affection. Cats protected grain stores, earning divine status in Egypt, where over 300,000 cat mummies were found at Beni-Hassan, linked to the goddess Bastet.

In Mesopotamia, dogs were depicted as afterlife guardians on clay tablets from 2000 BCE. China’s Shang Dynasty (1600–1046 BCE) oracle bones mention dogs bred for hunting, with some buried in royal tombs, reflecting their revered status.

In ancient China (2000 BCE), nobles kept songbirds in carved bamboo cages, their melodies celebrated in the Book of Songs. The Maya (1000 BCE–1500 CE) revered Xoloitzcuintli dogs, believed to guide souls, with clay figurines from Colima showing them in daily life.

The Indus Valley (2600–1900 BCE) seals from Mohenjo-Daro depict monkeys and parrots, suggesting pets as entertainers. In Greece (500 BCE), Homer’s Odyssey tells of Argos, Odysseus’s dog, waiting 20 years, a story echoed in vase art of children with pets.

In Peru, the Moche (100–700 CE) buried guinea pigs in Huaca de la Luna tombs, their squeaks thought to ward off spirits. In Rome (100 CE), epitaphs mourned dogs like Margarita, showing deep bonds, while elites kept pet monkeys from Africa.

In ancient Siberia, around 8000 BCE, nomadic tribes like the Botai culture tamed horses, not just for transport but as companions. Excavations in Kazakhstan reveal horse burials with humans, suggesting emotional ties. Dogs, descended from local wolves, were vital for hunting reindeer, as seen in petroglyphs near Lake Baikal.

The Evenki people kept reindeer as semi-domesticated pets, training them for milk and warmth. Oral histories describe reindeer sleeping near tents, treated as family, a practice unique to Siberia’s harsh climate.

Shamans often kept birds, like ravens, as spirit guides, with bronze figurines from the Tagar culture (900–300 BCE) depicting them perched on ritual staffs. These pets bridged human and spiritual worlds, reflecting Siberia’s animist beliefs.

In ancient Polynesia, from 1000 BCE, voyagers brought dogs and pigs to islands like Hawaii and Tonga, as seen in Lapita pottery motifs. Dogs, known as kuri in Māori culture, were companions and hunting aids, often fed fish by hand, showing care.

Pigs were kept in Hawaiian villages, not just for food but as pets, with children naming them, as recorded in oral chants. Petroglyphs in Rapa Nui depict dogs alongside humans, suggesting bonds forged during long sea journeys.

Birds, like the red-crested cardinal, were tamed for their songs, with Hawaiian chiefs weaving their feathers into cloaks. These pets symbolized status and connection to the land, integral to Polynesian identity.

In the Kingdom of Aksum (100–940 CE), falcons were trained for hunting, with Ethiopic texts describing their care by elites. On the Swahili Coast (700 CE), cats protected trade goods from rats, with Zanzibar tombs showing cat burials, a sign of affection.

The Yoruba (500 BCE–1500 CE) kept parrots as spiritual messengers, their cages found in Ife digs. San rock art (5000 BCE) in the Sahara depicts dogs hunting with humans, likely Basenji ancestors, some buried with beads, indicating care.

In ancient Mali (300–1500 CE), griots sang of pet monkeys kept by Mansa Musa’s court, trained to carry messages. These companions, depicted in Timbuktu manuscripts, blended utility with prestige, showcasing Africa’s diverse pet culture.

In Celtic Europe (800 BCE–400 CE), hounds were central, with Irish sagas like the Táin Bó Cúailnge describing Cú Chulainn’s bond with his dog, named for its ferocity. Archaeological finds, like a 500 BCE dog burial in Britain with a bronze collar, show reverence.

Celts kept ravens, believed to carry omens, as seen in Welsh tales of Bran’s sacred birds. Druids trained them to mimic sounds, blending mysticism with companionship, a practice noted in Roman accounts.

Horses were also pets, not just war mounts. A 300 BCE chariot burial in Yorkshire included a horse adorned with beads, suggesting affection. Celtic art, like the Gundestrup Cauldron, depicts animals as spiritual kin, reflecting deep bonds.

Middle Ages (476–1450 CE): Nobles kept hunting dogs, like greyhounds, and falcons, symbols of status, depicted in tapestries. Cats controlled rodents but faced superstition, sometimes tied to witchcraft. Monasteries kept fish ponds, blending spirituality with pet-keeping, as seen in illuminated manuscripts.

A 12th-century English poem, “The Owl and the Nightingale,” mentions a pet sparrow, showing affection even among clergy, despite Church debates over animals’ souls.

Renaissance (1450–1600 CE): Small dogs, like spaniels, were status symbols, painted by Titian to symbolize fidelity. Exotic birds, like parrots from the Americas, adorned courts, with Queen Elizabeth I keeping singing canaries. Montaigne’s essays mused on animal emotions, reflecting humanist shifts.

A 1490s Italian diary records a noblewoman’s pet squirrel, dressed in silk, highlighting pets as luxury companions in urban centers.

Victorian Era (1837–1901 CE): Pet culture surged with dog shows (1859) standardizing breeds like the Bulldog, and cat shows (1871) popularizing Persians. The RSPCA, founded in 1824, pushed welfare laws. Queen Victoria’s Pomeranian, Dash, sparked a craze for small dogs.

Literature like Anna Sewell’s “Black Beauty” (1877) fostered empathy, while pet cemeteries, like Hyde Park’s, opened in 1881, showed pets as family.

In ancient India (300 BCE), the Mahabharata tells of a dog following King Yudhishthira to heaven, revealed as Dharma, teaching loyalty. In Rome (50 BCE), Valerius Maximus records Hyrcanus, a dog leaping into his master’s funeral pyre, moving crowds.

In Sumer (2500 BCE), a merchant’s pet monkey, fed dates, was mourned like kin, per a clay tablet. In Japan (600 CE), a noble’s pet crane, nursed back to health, inspired the “Tsuru no Ongaeshi” folktale of gratitude.

In ancient Egypt (1000 BCE), a scribe’s letter describes his pet baboon, trained to fetch scrolls, buried with a collar inscribed with his name, Amun. These stories highlight pets’ universal role in human hearts across cultures.