Read 2nd Samuel Chapter 11&12, Samuel uses a story to convict David killing Uriah and taking Bathsheeba. The rich man and the ppor man, who had a little ewe lamb he loved like a daughter, who sat in his lap and ate from his plate. The rich man took it and killed it for a meal and David was enraged (not knowing he was the rich man - yet).
So I think they did understand having pets and loving them in similar ways we do. Nothing new under the sun.
Good point. It's hard to imagine ancient cultures with animals as pets or that they thought of them as companions, feeding them and nurturing them, without any plans to eat them or use them for working. But the human heart and mind is always the same across time and culture.
There's a book out that I've only seen the title but which appears to be a PETA kind of thought process. It's called: Animals: Some we love, some we hate, some we eat. Have you heard about it?
nice ,that should shut up anyone that says pets arent mentioned in the bible.i had forgotten that story about david and bathsheba.heres another one,,didnt issac have to sacrifice his pet sheep for his half brother?