By Tatsuya King
We all like pets! “I like pets,” says Jonathan Segal, a teacher. Pets are cute little creatures that are a delight to have around. Although they can’t do any chores or help out around the house, the utility that pets provide to families is more emotional. Pets can make lonely kids feel like they have friends or give single people something to come home to. For many people, pets provide love and companionship that other humans refuse to give them. But different pets have different qualities, different needs, and different benefits. While a hamster, for example, is easy to take care of, hamsters are not much fun and will often die for no good reason.
“I want my pet to be cuddly, cute, well behaved with a little bit of personality, and a good size,” says Crosby Jassem when asked what qualities she looked for in a pet. But other people are different. “I want my pet to be a vicious killer,” says Daniel Li. But in the end, good pets aren’t only up to personal preference; some are better than others. “Dog is the best pet because they can be housetrained and they are man’s best friend,” says Anna Gonzales.
But does everyone agree? Among all the household pets there are three that stand out as contenders for the title of Best Household Pet: Dogs, Cats, and Hippopotamuses. But what are the pros and cons of each?
DOGS:
“My dog will start slobbering over me and at that point I don’t feel so lonely,” says Joshua Garrison. Many people seem to agree that dogs are crazy little guys who are full of energy and fun. But they are also not very smart. One time a dog was just playing around and then it got stuck in a couch! But what does it take to take care of a dog? If you want to keep a dog you have to feed it and give it a place to stay. But this can be a costly endeavor, ranging from 300 to 4000 dollars a year. But maybe this cost is worth it for a fluffy companion who will stick by your side forever, or at least until they die after a few years of fun.
CATS:
“I am allergic to cats. They are not my favorite,” says Daniel Li. It seems people generally do not like cats at all. In fact, most people consider cats rude and unbecoming. Their feline features can be off-putting and they have sharp claws that can hurt little children who make the mistake of getting too close. The last thing that you want is a horribly scarred infant on your hands because you decided to keep a cat in your house. Are there any redeeming qualities to cats? Yes! Cats are chill creatures, and they sort of just hang out. So if you like to laze around all day, perhaps a cat is the best for you.
HIPPOPOTAMUSES:
“I would not consider having a hippo as a pet because one of them tried to kill my uncle. If I didn’t like my uncle, I would want to get one to spite him,” says Ava Cantarella. Although an appealing candidate, Hippos can be tricky to take care of. For one, hippopotamuses are considered the second largest land animal on earth. They can weigh between 3000 and 9500 pounds, meaning it is difficult to keep them under control or physically restrain them if they are acting out. To feed a hippo, it costs about 50 dollars a day, or $18,250 a year. Hippos are also highly territorial, active mostly during the night, and spend most of their time in freshwater. A hippo territory is usually around 250 meters in length. If you want to keep a hippo, you have to be able to provide large freshwater spaces for them to lounge in, along with giving them their own space, kind of like a teenager! Hippos also like to hang out in groups of around 10-20, so if you want to have a hippo, often you will have to have space for their friends as well. To feed all these hippos, it would only cost about $182,500 – $365,000 a year. Having hippos for pets is also a long-term commitment. They can live up to 50 years, and female hippos give birth every two years. If you plan to have a hippo as a pet, you need space for the whole family! There are also a few safety considerations you should keep in mind. For one, hippos are considered the deadliest large land animal in the world and kill more humans yearly than lions, leopards, buffaloes, elephants, and rhinos combined. They are extremely aggressive and will attack humans that cramp their style. Hippos have a bite force of around 12600 kPa, which is easily enough to cut a human in half. Hippos can swim five mph and run 20-30 mph, meaning you probably will not escape if your hippo turns against you. Hippos are a great option for household pets, but there are many things you need to know before getting one.
But what is the best household pet? I think it is a dog because they have low food consumption costs, and some can fit in your hands.