The World's Favorite Pets
Updated February 21, 2017 | Factmonster Staff 
Household pets are common in America, Europe, and Asia.
| Australian Aborigines capture dingo (wild dog) puppies and raise them for a time before letting them go. |
- In China and Hong Kong, cats are thought to bring good luck and are kept in shops as well as homes.
- The Japanese keep birds and crickets as pets.
- In Arab countries, dogs are considered unclean. Contact with a dog must be followed by a ritual washing.
- The Italians also have little use for dogs but find cats charming and companionable. Thousands of stray cats live in the Forum, the Colosseum, and other historic landmarks in Rome.
- The Inuit Eskimo of northern Canada adopt bear cubs, foxes, birds, and baby seals.
- Animals are rarely kept as pets in Africa.
- The British are especially fond of pets. Half of all the households in England have a pet, usually a cat or bird.
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