The ethics of keeping pets

God Forbid

Many of us regard our pets as part of the family, but can an animal be its best self in a human home?

For much of human history, we’ve kept animals primarily to do jobs – to hunt, herd, plough and pull carriages... or just to keep mice out of the hay shed.

The idea of keeping an animal as a "pet” - an emotional companion is relatively new. And religion, it turns out, played a part in that historical shift.

Of course, pets can enrich our lives, but how we breed, feed and keep these animals raises questions even for the most loving, well-meaning pet owners. It's a passionate issue, full of blurry lines and moral grey areas. But philosophy, religion and science offer some guidance.