Pets and Companionship

The closest I've ever came to owning a pet was some fish I had when I was 3 (one who died, the other committed suicide after...) and my sister's hamster, who died a year after we got it and my dad threw the corpse in the sewer, much to my sister's chagrin. However, through my arrogance, I still feel that I have the moral authority and knowledge to comment pompously on those who own pets.

Lots of the people in my neighborhood have pets, and I see them walking dogs at all times of the day, something which didn't happen in Montreal. It got me to thinking generally about the situation of domesticated animals. I somehow think that pets end up bringing people closer together in many ways. It somehow becomes the focus of a household in a strange manner and also a common bonding tool. For example, most people would not think of going for a walk at midnight around the block if they didn't have a pet, and yet it allows them to occasionally walk with their significant other and communicate in a different venue.

I also wonder if a pet doesn't fulfull some type of companionship which we can't find in each other. We can't verbally communicate with our pets (no matter what kind of baby voice you make!), but I think there is a physical connection. A pet will always "listen" to you, in the sense that it can sense things much better than humans have. Furthermore, it provides a type of silent companionship and understanding which humans cannot provide to each other. I'm probably dead wrong about these thoughts, but I still believe there is a type of social void in the lives of many which pets end up filling.