AbstractCompanion animals are nonhuman beings with whom humans choose to cohabit for reasons such as companionship and entertainment, rather than for food or profit. Households across the world include companion animals, most commonly domesticated dogs and cats, but also other small domesticated mammals, reptiles, fish, and even insects. Keeping companion animals raises a variety of ethical issues, both general (in that such issues arise in all humananimal interactions) and specific (concerning the domestication, breeding, and keeping of animals in human homes).
