Pets?
 

I love animals and have often wondered..do you think many people in middle earth had them,if so what would they be?
could you picture Saruman with a ruddy old dog...lol...what do you think?

We do know that Farmer Maggot had dogs. Granted, on a farm, dogs are not quite pets, but usually have a task to accomplish. Still, that's the closest actual book reference that occurs to me.

(cross-posted with Farael) Yes, Queen Beruthiel had cats; I suppose they would count as pets, though she was reputed to use them for spying.

Well, we know the farmer (can't remember his name) who helps the four hobbits had three dogs, so I guess dogs were pets in Middle Earth as well. Then I've heard talk (although I haven't read about it) that one queen had nine cats... so dogs and cats so far. Would a horse count as a pet or as a mean of transport?

Those are all the animals I can think of on top of my head... anyone wants to add to the list?

Cross posted with Estelyn who remembers the name of FARMER MAGGOT... I was talking about him before.

Yes I guess there was cats,dogs and horses.But if you could imagine them having pets what do you think they would be?Ex:Wormtounge would probably have a rat.

i'd assume for most of middle earth animals wpould be kept for more labourus reasons, although a 'bond' might be established between owner and beast. (horses of rohan, cattle). i dont think most beings would be well off enough that they would have an animal for pleasure, as it mioght cost extra time and money. the richer(maybe elves, noble men) might have some pets as the above mentioned queen of gondor had nine cats. the rohirrim would be the closest i could think of, as they cared for there horses, not like the haradrim and mumakil. i guess other than that, manwe had eagles, morgoth and his balrogs wouldnt really count, and sauron and shelob is a bit comical to think of. the hobbits and elves there fore being less affiliated with war(on the hobbits part anyway) an being more 'elevated'(on the elves part) would be the ones. farmer maggot had dogs to help 'defend' his farm, but there is no evedince against the fact he cared for them. the 'pets' in middle earth could be an owners friend, but would alwaysed be 'used' for something.
woo i dragged that out....
________
Half-baked

Valier, if you'd like to get humorous suggestions as to which character would have which pet, you can start a thread for that on the Middle-Earth Mirth forum - that could be fun! It doesn't look like there's enough source material for a serious discussion on pets here.

We know for certain of Legolas' hare, but that's about all that's sure.

I'd like to add one more petowner to the list: Barliman Butterburs' helper Bob. He got a cat. This is from FotR, At the sign of Prancing Pony, just after Frodos' song:

Also, Erendis got a pair of special birds which lived free but always stayed there where Erendis lived. I guess they could be called some sort of pets, although they are self-sustaining.

And I can picture high-class Gondorians with hunting hawks, pretty young Gondorian ladies with cats, dogs or birds and hobbits with cats or dogs (or even rabbits ;)). I know this is very rude to Huan, but he was kind of a pet Celegorm's (or Curufin's?), if we only regard the fact that he was a dog... And there are a lot of famous horses, who are more like companions than pets (like Huan)...

Beorn had a houseful of domestic animals, although they appear more as servants than pets. Perhaps, however, they also served as companions.

He also kept bees, but I should imagine that was more for their produce than for their companionship. :D

I agree with Telecontar. Think of the possibilities! Sauruman with a spying hawk, Manwe with a parakeet, or Sam with a gineau pig(actually i have a gineau pig named sam,hahah im such a nerd)
________
Marijuana indica

Thanks
 

I took the advice and moved this thread to Middle Earth Mirth...So go.. ....go check it out...you know you want to!