Q&A on Pets

Is it permitted or forbidden to have a pet dog?

Raising pets at home is subject to debate. Of course, this discussion does not involve raising animals that harm people or property, since that is explicitly forbidden by the Talmud (Bava Kamma 80a). Similarly, the discussion does not involve keeping animals for practical purposes such as guarding against thieves or getting rid of mice, which is explicitly permitted by the Talmud (ibid). Rather, the discussion revolves around the practice of having pets for pleasure and entertainment, such as ornamental fish, parrots, and the like.

Those who maintain that it is forbidden to have pets base their position on the Midrash (Kohelet Rabbah, chapter 6) on the verse (Kohelet 6:11) "For there are many things that increase vanity" - these are those who raise monkeys and cats, and squirrels, and field lords and sea dogs, what benefit do they derive from them?” Elsewhere, it is explained that this refers to those who raise birds for beauty and praise. What they spend on these pets should have been given to the poor.

According to this position, the Sages do not look kindly upon people who raise birds and ornamental fish for personal entertainment. However, in many books of Jewish law it is explained that it is not strictly prohibited to have a pet. Indeed, the Chida infers in his book "Birkei Yosef" (YD section 117) from the language of the Beit Yosef that it is permissible to raise a parrot at home, and this is also evident from the Responsa Yachin and Boaz (Part 2, section 25) who rules that it is permissible to raise a monkey even though it is impure. Similarly, the Kaf Hachaim (YD section 117 subsection 5) rules that it is permissible to raise impure birds and animals for beauty and the like. Some say that raising rabbits in one's home to play with them is forbidden according to all opinions (Chesed L'Avraham Responsa), since most rabbits are intended for consumption by non-Jews. In our day and age, since rabbits are sold in Israel in hobby shops rather than for consumption, the law regarding rabbits is the same as the law regarding parrots.

Of course, those who raise pets should be careful about the laws that are mentioned by the Talmud (Berachot 40a) and codified in the Shulchan Aruch. It is forbidden for a person to eat before feeding his animal, as it is said, "I will give grass in your field for your cattle, and you shall eat and be satisfied." Similarly, one must be careful not to violate the prohibition of causing pain to animals, as demonstrated by the story of the Arizal, mentioned in the book "Peleh Yoetz" (Section B, entry on "Animals"), in which someone who had chicks in his yard was severely punished when his wife removed the basket they were using to follow behind their mother, causing them distress. Even though she did this unwittingly, they were still punished. In fact, the Peleh Yoetz writes that on account of this difficult story, it is best to avoid raising animals. Perhaps for this reason, one of the Arizal's students wrote in his book Nagid, that a person should not raise turtledoves and pigeons at home. In the booklet Chupat Eliyahu, at the end of the book Reshit Chochmah, he wrote that those who raise these birds at home age prematurely.

And yet, according to straightforward Jewish law, it is not prohibited to have a pet.

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Hi Rabbi. I am trying to embrace my Judaism and strengthen my faith, and I really appreciate all your holy work. Thank you for your guidance and for teaching me so much. It seems that there is an unlimited amount to learn and I am light years away from this, but I pray to Hashem that I will succeed. My question is: Is it permissible to raise a dog in a residential home? I don't have a yard, but I have a few balconies, and my kids really want a dog. I heard that "in a house where there is a dog – Eliyahu (Elijah) the Prophet does not enter." Is this true?

Hello, and thanks for reaching out. May Hashem help you on your journey. According to Jewish law, there is no halachic problem with raising a dog. Pet owners must be very careful about the prohibition of causing pain to animals and fulfilling the commandment of feeding their animals before sitting down for a meal. Beyond that, emotional attachment to a dog or any pet is not desirable, and sometimes can be detrimental to raising children. There are also books that speak against raising pets, because they maintain it is a “waste of time” and can cause one to neglect Torah study. The connection between dogs and Eliyahu the Prophet is mentioned in the Talmud in the following context: "Dogs crying - the Angel of Death has come to the city. Dogs laughing - Eliyahu the Prophet has come to the city."

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I have a rabbit at home, and I was told that it is forbidden to carry it on Shabbat. I don't understand what "carrying" means, and what exactly is forbidden to do with the rabbit.

You are not allowed to pick up the rabbit and take it in your hands, but you are allowed to push it so that it walks by itself. I will cite the words of the Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 308:39): "It is forbidden to carry an animal, beast, or bird. Any animal, beast, or bird - one may guide them, that is, holding them by their neck and sides, and leading them if the animals need this, as long as one does not lift them in a way that their feet are uprooted from the ground, for they are muktzeh (not set aside for use on Shabbat). And it is forbidden to carry it, except for a chicken which one does not guide because it raises itself from the ground and thus one would be carrying it. But one may push it from behind with one's hands so that it enters."

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Hi. I have a pet cat at home, and I recently discovered that one of the ingredients in its food is wheat (one of many ingredients). The pet food is solid – it kind of resembles breakfast cereal. Is it a problem to give the cat this food on Pesach (Passover)?

Hello. It is forbidden to feed one’s pets/animals chametz (leavened bread) on Pesach, because it is forbidden to derive benefit from chametz, as well as own it. One must feed their pets food that does not contain chametz.

(The answers in this column were given by Rabbi Menashe Israel and Rabbi Binyamin Shmuli, and collected and edited from the Q&A section on the Hidabroot website)