Domestic animals are the animal species that humanity has chosen to raise in their own homes and benefit, either with their company or with other resources that they are able to contribute. This animal-human relationship begins by separating the former from their wild state so that humans can teach them interactions or tasks that are not within their nature.
That’s where the term domesticate comes from , which is practically bringing an animal home or to the stable to shape its behaviors , in a way that favors us and we take advantage of what it can deliver to human activities. Among the functions that a domestic animal can fulfill are:
- Company for people of all ages.
- Assistance to blind people or people with limited physical abilities.
- Workforce to plow the fields.
- Give sources of nutrients such as meat and milk, for human consumption.
Since ancient times certain animals have been domesticated, and this with the passage of time has been imprinted on their offspring. For example, dogs were originally in the wild, living in their habitat with other canine species such as wolves; however, humanity brought them into their homes as protectors and play companions for children.
As a result, the dogs were no longer exposed to as many threats from their habitat as large predators and other herds that threatened their territory. This change produced throughout history many transformations in their physical structures (smaller fangs, a more sedentary body, smaller muscles) and in their character .
If two specimens of the same species of dog were put face to face, but one from a millennium ago and the other from today, the difference would be remarkable. The needs and challenges of each are different. Therefore, domestic animals already constitute, albeit unofficially, a new separate category from wild animals.
Another characteristic that distinguishes domestic animals is feeding. By incorporating them into the development of civilizations, they have ended up in large cities, where there is no longer an environment similar to their habitat. The food industry is responsible for producing balanced food, that is, with the necessary proportions of nutrients for the animal to be healthy.
Just as there are domestic animals that can live with humans on a daily basis , inside their home or in the garden, there are also domestic animals that collaborate in rural tasks , such as plowing fields for cultivation or transporting loads. Others are fed throughout their lives to build enough weight and deliver their meat for people to cook.
When domestic animals are intended to live at home with humans, they are referred to as pets . It is there where they fulfill a function of company and protection. However, the responsible human is also in charge of taking care of his health and feeding him according to his nutritional requirements. It is a reciprocal relationship that can last the entire life of the animal.
Types of domestic animals
Domestic animals can cover the entire extension of the Animalia kingdom in taxonomy, so they can be summarized in the following types of domestic animals:
- Songbirds
- Poultry
- Fishes
- Insects
- Amphibians
- Equines
- Canines
- Felines
- Reptiles
- Rodents
- Bovines
- Pigs
- Sheep
- Goats
30 examples of domestic animals
- Parakeets
- Quail
- Chickens
- Roosters
- Goldfish
- Clownfish
- Tarantula
- Frog
- Toad
- Horse
- Donkey
- Mule
- Great Dane Dog
- Golden Retriever dog
- Chihuahua dog
- Dalmatian dog
- Bulldog dog
- German shepherd dog
- Schnauzer dog
- Cat
- Iguana
- Snake (not poisonous)
- Turtle
- Ferret
- Whose
- Hamster
- Cow
- Pig
- Sheep
- Goat
