A pet is an animal receiving the protection of the citizen in exchange for his presence, for its beauty, or his talent (songbirds, pigeons ...), as opposed to production animals such as cows ( milk) or chicken (eggs). Because of their long presence alongside humans, they have been the subject of a domestication. In Western countries, the main pets are cats and dogs.

Means the last few years as "new pet" (NAC), species which have entered after the 1970s in the number of pets. Some of these animals, as rabbits or ferrets were domesticated for a long time, but for other use, while others are considered exotic animals, legally, as domestic servants only in their home country or as individuals wildlife held in captivity under certain conditions