MRL

Liking animals or keeping them as pets depends on an individual’s interest. I think Frum Jews don’t typically keep pets bec they are too busy with supporting their families & are too busy with everyday life to bother with an additional responsibility. The cons outweigh the pros to them. Keeping a pet takes money and time, not things readily available to many busy Jewish households. Also, the lack of familiarity with keeping pets is a factor. For example, some Jews that came from Europe were too scared of dogs to have them as pets (reminded them of the dogs the Nazi’s y”m used). Personally, I have a rabbit & a hamster. They are so cute & add a little spice to my day with their antics. Cleaning up after them is but a small portion of what having a pet is about. There are many studies that show how animals are beneficial to humans. They lower stress hormones, etc. Obviously, nothing can replace human companionship, but I see nothing wrong with keeping a pet as long as you do things according to halacha. For Pesach my rabbit ate veggies, fruits & hay. My hamster ate alfalfa hay, fruits, veggies & nuts. They were fine.