What about pets......

Just out of interest, seeing as Jews seem to have quite a few strict laws about things, what about pets.....are there certain pets you can and cannot have, must they be kept outside or can you have inside pets ?

I have 2 dogs, who live in and outside as they please, I have a tank full of tropical fish, a bowl with a fantail gold fish, and 2 pet rats who live in a special home we made for them in the family room. The rats are tame and I handle them every day. I love all creatures great and small, even spiders and snakes, though I don't have a pet snake.

Any comments....

Vella

Some Jews keep pets, some others don't especially if living in an all Kosher Neighborhood. I love animals too and have had many as pets, both clean and unclean, we can love them just not eat them!

I have had, squirrels, raised two that fell out of nests, a skunk, a possom, various birds that needed nursing, many many dogs, cats, birds, hampsters, fish, a chinchilla, but no snakes, or other reptiles except some box turtles. I am not much for rats and it may have to do with the admonitions about them found in the word.

Now there is a passage in Talmud that says that Jews shouldn't keep any pets that would scare another human being, mainly dogs, so this is why some Jews do not keep pets like dogs, but could have birds, and cats or smaller animals.

You may be interested to know that Jews have high regard for animals, so much so that it is also in the Talmud that you must feed your own animals before you feed yourself, this is showing kindness to the lower species that is dependent on you.

Actually Jews were the very first to have a preventative against cruelty to animals.

Hey, you'd really love my pet rats, Charlie & Bruce. They're about a year old, and very cute. They're called "champagne" rats. Bruce is all champagne in colour, and Charlie is a champagne hooded. He's champagne and white. His head and shoulders and a stripe down his back are champagne, and the rest of his body is white. Actually his champagne, has quite a ginger tone to it. :-)

Smiles, Vella