A pet is a household animal kept for companionship and a person's
enjoyment, as opposed to wild animals or to livestock, laboratory
animals, working animals or sport animals, which are kept for economic
or productive reasons. The most popular pets are noted for their loyal
or playful characteristics, for their attractive appearance, and/or
for their song. Pets also generally seem to provide their owners with
non-trivial health benefits; keeping pets has been shown to help
relieve stress to those who like having animals around. There is now a
medically-approved class of "therapy animals," mostly dogs that are
brought to visit confined humans. Walking a dog can provide both the
owner and the dog with exercise, fresh air, and social interaction.
Pets have the ability to stimulate their caregivers, in particular the
elderly, giving people someone to take care of, someone to exercise
with, and someone to help them heal from a physically or
psychologically troubled past.