We share so much with our ape relatives and other animals but almost all animals do not keep pets - isnt that odd ?

The subject came up about animals in adverts and I thought about the way we humans love pets and have developed strong relationships with other animals not just for food but for protection entertainment and other benefits. And then I realised that even our closest relative bonobos do not do this. There is not even any evidence Neanderthals kept pets. Earliest evidence for a per appears to be 32000 years ago with tracks of a wolf walking alongside a child. Early records are from Europe and the Middle East. This made me immediately think of Romulus and Remus, but Romulus founded Rome in about 732BC (says chatgpt). Chatsgpt doesnt know an answer for the oldest folklore of humans and pets but the evidence is that dogs weren't buried with humans until about 14000BC. So 18000 years of casual association and 14000 years of true domestication ?? I think this is an interesting subject worthy of more research. Any opinions or contributions anyone ?

dirge

@Captain closer to a pet. most similar to a rancher having w working dog around to protect family or livestock.

Captain · 61-69, M

@dirge Interesting. This is a bit like convergent evolution isnt it ? Now spiders don’t nurture their young so can’t learn to do this from another individual, which means that behaviour is genetically coded. That’s really interesting.