The Jewish View on Pets: What the Torah and Rabbis Really Say About Keeping Animals at Home

The Jewish position on keeping pets can seem unclear at first glance. On one hand, the Torah takes animal welfare very seriously — emphasizing the prohibition of tza’ar ba’alei chayim (causing suffering to animals) and instructing in detail how a person must treat animals under their care. Yet, on the other hand, most observant Jewish families — especially in ultra-Orthodox communities, do not keep pets. Why is that? Are pets considered tamei (impure)? And what about less “problematic” animals such as fish, parrots, or small dogs?

Halachic Perspective: Dangerous vs. Harmless Animals

“In the Talmud, it says a person must not bring a dangerous dog into their home, as the Torah commands, ‘Do not place blood in your house’,” explains Rabbi Yitzchak Gabay. “This refers to anything dangerous that could cause harm or death. It applies specifically to dogs that are aggressive or kept unnecessarily. However, regarding dogs that are harmless and kept for companionship, there is no halachic prohibition against owning them. The same applies to cats or other non-dangerous pets.”

If halacha allows it — why are pets still uncommon in religious homes?

Spiritual Sensitivity: A Subtle Decline in Holiness

“The Talmud says that even a person who is worthy of a prophetic revelation — if they have a dog in their home, even a small or harmless one like a poodle or pinscher, the prophet Eliyahu will not appear to them,” says Rabbi Gabay.

“Of course, none of us today are on the spiritual level to merit such revelations, but this teaching indicates that owning animals in the home can lower one’s spiritual sensitivity. It’s not a sin — but it’s not ideal either.”

As for cats or other creatures, he clarifies: “In general, a person should invest their emotional energy in raising children and nurturing human relationships. But if someone still chooses to raise a dog or another animal, there is no halachic issue with doing so.”

Compassion vs. Intervention: Should We Rescue Stray Animals?

Many assume that the Torah’s compassion for animals would support adopting stray cats and dogs. Yet, Rabbi Gabay explains:
“In nature, animals live and survive beautifully on their own. Ironically, when humans began interfering with nature by adopting and domesticating animals, problems began. Suddenly every stray dog is seen as ‘abandoned.’ Before humans began breeding and confining animals, they lived freely and happily in the wild.”

The Torah’s Emphasis on Responsibility

Rabbi Gabay reminds us that tza’ar ba’alei chayim — preventing animal suffering, is a halachic obligation. The Torah commands a person who owns animals to feed them before they feed themselves, as it says: “You shall give grass in your field for your animal — and only afterward you shall eat and be satisfied.”

Rabbi Yiftach Sofer adds that this law underscores the great responsibility humans carry: “Many avoid bringing animals into their homes because of the risk of causing suffering. From the animal’s point of view, a parrot likely prefers flying free to living in a cage; a fish would rather swim in the ocean than in a small aquarium; and a dog might prefer roaming outside to being confined indoors or in a kennel.”

Judaism does not prohibit keeping pets, provided they are cared for properly and do not pose danger. Yet, the tradition subtly discourages it — not out of disdain for animals, but from a belief that humans should channel their emotional focus toward people and spiritual growth.

Still, compassion, respect, and kindness to all living creatures remain essential Jewish values. Whether one chooses to raise a pet or not, the Torah calls on us to live with awareness, responsibility, and empathy for every being that shares our world.