Chia Pets are American styled terracotta figurines^[1] used to sprout chia,^[2] where the chia sprouts grow within a couple of weeks^[3] to resemble the animal's fur or hair.^[4] Moistened seeds of chia (Salvia hispanica)^[5] are applied to the grooved terra cotta figurine body.

Marketed by Joe Pedott^[3] and produced by San Francisco, California-based company Joseph Enterprises Inc.,^[6] the first Chia Pet, Chia Guy was created on September 8, 1977.^[1] A trademark registration was filed on Monday, October 17, 1977.^[7] Pedott first learned about Chia Pets when he attended a housewares show in Chicago in 1977.^[3] Chia Pets achieved popularity in the 1980s following the 1982 release of a ram, the first widely marketed Chia Pet.^[1] The catchphrase sung in the TV commercial as the plant grows in time lapse is "Ch-ch-ch-chia!". This catchphrase originated at an agency brainstorming meeting, where one of the individuals present pretended to stutter the product name.^[3] As of 2007, approximately 500,000 Chia Pets were sold annually,^[3] and they are sold only during the holiday season.^[8] Originally made in Mexico, Chia Pets are now produced in China.^[3]

A range of generic animals has been produced, including a turtle,^[9] pig, puppy, kitten,^[10] frog, and hippopotamus,^[11] but cartoon characters including: Garfield, Scooby-Doo, Looney Tunes, Shrek, The Simpsons, and SpongeBob have also been licensed.^[12] Additionally, there are Chia Pets depicting presidents, including Barack Obama.^[13]

Release timeline[link]

• 1982 Wave 1—First widely marketed Chia Pet (later called Chia Ram) introduced.^[14]
• 1983–1992 Wave 2—Chia Bull, Chia Puppy, Chia Kitten, and Chia Tree introduced.^[14]
• 1993 Wave 3—Chia Bunny, Chia Turtle, and Chia Herb Garden introduced.^[14]
• 1995 Wave 4—Chia Pig, Chia Frog, Chia Hippo, and original Chia Head (later called Chia Guy) introduced. Chia Ram and Chia Bull discontinued.^[14]
• 1996 Wave 5—Chia Elephant, Chia Kid, Chia Professor, Chia Clown and Chia Terra Cotta Herb Garden introduced.^[15] Chia Guy sold.^[16] Chia Herb Garden discontinued.^[14]
• 1998 Wave 6—Chia Cow and Chia Lion Cub introduced.^[14]
• 2000 Wave 7—Chia Dinosaur, Chia Elmer Fudd, Chia Taz, and Chia Tweety introduced. "Watch-Me-Grow Chia Cards" included. Chia Mr. T issued briefly for TV Land promotion.^[14]
• 2002 Wave 8—Chia Scooby-Doo, Chia Shaggy, and Chia Homer introduced. "Watch-Me-Grow Chia Cards" discontinued.^[14]
• 2003 Wave 9—Chia Bugs Bunny, Chia Daffy Duck, and Chia Bart introduced.^[14]
• 2004 Wave 10—Chia Shrek, Chia Donkey, Chia Garfield, Chia Cat Grass Planter featuring Sylvester and Tweety, and Gourmet Chia Herb Garden introduced. Chia Terra Cotta Herb Garden discontinued.^[14]
• 2006 Wave 11—Chia Bear, Chia Alex and Chia Marty introduced, Chia Ram and Chia Bull reintroduced, Chia Kid, Chia Clown and Chia Lion Cub retired, Chia Alarm Clock included with all Chia Pets, Chia Heads and Chia Tree, Cuddly Chia Puppy and Cuddly Chia Cub introduced.^[14]
• 2007 Pack-ins expanded to include Mini Chia Cuddly and Chia Watch.^[14]
• 2008 Wave 12—Chia Po, Chia Tree with Star Light, and Chia Cat Grass Planter featuring "snoozing kitty" introduced. Chia Ram, Chia Bull, Chia Turtle, Chia Bear, Chia Elmer Fudd, Chia Bugs Bunny, Chia Daffy Duck, Chia Tree, Cuddly Chia Puppy, and Cuddly Chia Cub discontinued. Pack-ins include Mini Chia Cuddly and Chia Playing Cards.^[14]
• 2008 Chia Obama "Determined" and Chia Obama "Happy" released in April 2009, after normal selling season.
• 2010 Wave 13—Chia SpongeBob,^[1] Chia Washington, Chia Lincoln, and Chia Liberty with Torch Light introduced. Chia Obama "Determined" added to normal production and selling season. Chia Turtle discontinued. Pack-in items in normal Chia Pets discontinued.

Account of types of Chia Collectibles[link]

Chia Pets[link]

All include seeds for three plantings and drip tray. All include "Watch-Me-Grow Chia Card" as of wave 7, excluding Ram and Bull, which were discontinued with wave 4, and Chia Crocodile, which was introduced in wave 10. Watch-Me-Grow Chia Cards discontinued with wave 8. All include a Chia Alarm Clock during wave 11 to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Chia Pet in 2006, in 2007 could include either the Chia Alarm Clock, Chia Watch, or Mini Chia Cuddly, and in 2008 could include either the Mini Chia Cuddly or a deck of Chia Playing Cards.

• Chia Ram—Original Chia Pet (1982), discontinued with wave 4, reintroduced with wave 11 for the anniversary and discontinued again with wave 12.
• Chia Bull—Wave 2 (198x), discontinued with wave 4, reintroduced with wave 11 for the anniversary and discontinued again with wave 12.
• Chia Puppy—Wave 2 (198x).
• Chia Kitten—Wave 2 (198x).
• Chia Bunny—Wave 3 (1993).
• Chia Turtle—Wave 3 (1993), discontinued with wave 13.
• Chia Pig—Wave 4 (1995).
• Chia Frog—Wave 4 (1995).
• Chia Hippo—Wave 4 (1995).
• Chia Elephant—Wave 5 (1996).
• Chia Cow—Wave 6 (1998).
• Chia Dinosaur—Wave 7 (2000).
• Chia Crocodile—Wave 10 (2004).
• Chia Bear—Wave 11 (2006), discontinued with wave 12.

Chia Pet Cuddlies[link]

A trademark registration was filed for Chia Pet Cuddlies on Thursday, June 29, 2006.^[17] Chia Pet Cuddlies are plush toys with soft fabric "Chia" fur bodies. They play the Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia jingle when a paw is pressed. The Chia Pet Cuddlies were only available during the anniversary period.

• Cuddly Chia Puppy—Wave 11 (2006), discontinued with wave 12.
• Cuddly Chia Cub—Wave 11 (2006), a bear cub, discontinued with wave 12.

Chia Heads[link]

The Chia Head trademark registration was filed on Wednesday, June 7, 1995.^[18] All include seeds for three plantings and drip tray. Include Watch-Me-Grow Chia Card as of wave 7. Watch-Me-Grow Chia Cards discontinued as of wave 8. Chia Guy and Chia Professor include a Chia Alarm Clock during wave 11 to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Chia Pet in 2006, in 2007 could include either the Chia Alarm Clock, Chia Watch, or Mini Chia Cuddly, and in 2008 could include either the Mini Chia Cuddly or a deck of Chia Playing Cards.

• Chia Guy—Original Chia Head, arrived in wave 4 (1995).
• Chia Kid—Wave 5 (1996), discontinued with wave 11.
• Chia Professor—Wave 5 (1996).
• Chia Clown—Wave 5 (1996), discontinued with wave 11.
• Chia Lion Cub—Wave 6 (1998), discontinued with wave 11.

Licensed / Famous Chia[link]

All include seeds for three plantings and drip tray. Looney Tunes planters included Watch-Me-Grow Chia Card until cards were discontinued with wave 8. Called Famous Chia as of wave 10. Most Famous Chia are sculpted a Chia Head type of planter, with exceptions noted below.

The A-Team

• Chia Mr. T^[19]—Introduced just before normal selling period of wave 7 (2000). Limited run only.

Looney Tunes

• Chia Elmer Fudd—Wave 7 (2000), discontinued with wave 12.
• Chia Taz—Wave 7 (2000), sculpted as a full body planter rather than a head.
• Chia Tweety—Wave 7 (2000).
• Chia Bugs Bunny—Wave 9 (2003), discontinued with wave 12.
• Chia Daffy Duck—Wave 9 (2003), discontinued with wave 12.

Scooby-Doo!

• Chia Scooby-Doo—Wave 8 (2002).
• Chia Shaggy—Wave 8 (2002).

The Simpsons

• Chia Homer—Wave 8 (2002).
• Chia Bart—Wave 9 (2003).

Shrek

• Chia Shrek—Wave 10 (2004).
• Chia Donkey—Wave 10 (2004).

Garfield

• Chia Garfield—Wave 10 (2004).

Madagascar

• Chia Alex—Wave 11 (2006).
• Chia Marty—Wave 11 (2006).

Chia Kung Fu Panda

• Chia Po—Wave 12 (2007), a bust depicting the character from the waist up, rather than a head as most Licensed Chia are made, or a full body.

Nickelodeon SpongeBob SquarePants

• Chia SpongeBob—Wave 13 (2009), sculpted as a full body planter rather than a head.

Chia: Proud to be American[link]

All include seeds for three plantings and drip tray. The presidents are sculpted as heads, atop a base that is thicker than normal for a Chia Head planter. The Statue of Liberty is sculpted as a bust, and depicts the uplifted right arm holding the torch. The bases of each are printed with black lettering.

• Chia Obama "Determined"—released April 2009, after the normal 2008 selling season, and then continued production with Wave 13 (2009). Base of planter is engraved with "BARACK OBAMA 44th President USA" on the front, and "Yes We Can" on both sides.
• Chia Obama "Happy"—released April 2009, after the normal 2008 selling season. Base of planter is engraved with "BARACK OBAMA 44th President USA" on the front, and "Yes We Can" on both sides.
• Chia Washington—Wave 13 (2009). Base of planter is engraved with "GEORGE WASHINGTON 1st President USA" on the front, "Happiness and moral duty are inseparably connected" on one side, and "Liberty, when it begins to take root is a plant of rapid growth" on the other side.
• Chia Lincoln—Wave 13 (2009). Base of planter is engraved with "ABRAHAM LINCOLN 16th President USA" on the front, "Leave nothing for tomorrow which can be done today" on one side, and "Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves" on the other side.
• Chia Liberty with Torch Light—Wave 13 (2009). Base of planter is engraved with "STATUE of LIBERTY" on the front, "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore." on one side, and "Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me. I lift my lamp beside the golden door." on the other side. The plastic torch flame on the planter lights up, and changes between red, orange, and yellow color while it remains lit. It is powered by two AAA batteries, which are included with the planter when purchased.

Shortly after the release of the Chia Obama, Walgreens pulled the product saying it does not fit their image.^[20] A Chia Hillary Clinton prototype has also been created.^[19]

Herb Gardens[link]

All include various things, so each is given a complete listing.

• Chia Herb Garden—Wave 3 (1993) initial version: six pots (plastic), six saucers (plastic), time-release plant food, growing mix for six pots, six packets of different herb seeds (cilantro, sweet marjoram, sweet basil, chives, curled cress, thyme), six plant markers, recipe book. Discontinued with wave 5 (1996).
• Chia Terra Cotta Herb Garden—Wave 5 (1996) second version: four pots (terracotta), four saucers (terracotta), four Chia Growing Sponges, six packets of herb seeds (cilantro, sweet marjoram, basil, chives, dill, parsley), six plant markers, four saucer liners, and recipe book. Discontinued with wave 10 (2004).
• Gourmet Chia Herb Garden—Wave 10 (2004), includes four pots (terracotta), four saucers (terracotta), four Chia Growing Sponges, six packets of "gourmet" herb seeds (cilantro, sweet marjoram, sweet basil, chives, dill, curled parsley), six plant markers, four saucer liners, and recipe book.

Chia Trees[link]

• Chia Tree—Wave 2 (1983),^[21] includes seeds for three plantings and drip tray, can be used as a candle holder. Included 'Watch-Me-Grow Chia Card' as of wave 7, but no longer as of wave 8. Includes a Chia Alarm Clock during wave 11 to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Chia Pet in 2006, and in 2007 could include either the Chia Alarm Clock, Chia Watch, or Mini Chia Cuddly. Discontinued with wave 12.
• Chia Tree with Star Light—Wave 12 (2008),^[21] includes seeds for three plantings, drip tray, battery canister, and Star Light. The Star Light is powered by two AA batteries and changes through colors as it remains on. Its battery canister is placed down into the Chia Tree through the same hole used to fill the planter with water and to hold a candle on the original Chia Tree.

Chia Cat Grass Planter[link]

All include Chia Growing Mix, Cat Grass seeds (a mix of sweet oat and wheat grass) for three plantings, and a plastic saucer. The purpose of the Chia Cat Grass Planter is to give something tasty and nutritious for cats to eat, rather than one's Chia Pets.

• Chia Cat Grass Planter featuring Sylvester and Tweety—Wave 10 (2004), original Chia Cat Grass Planter with Sylvester and Tweety from the Looney Tunes on the planter.^[22]
• Chia Cat Grass Planter featuring "snoozing kitty"—Wave 12 (2008), a new Chia Cat Grass Planter was introduced alongside the original, depicting a non-licensed grey cat sleeping on the edge of the planter.^[23] The moniker "snoozing kitty" is used to differentiate its listing on the Joseph Enterprizes web-site, but is not used on the packaging.

Promotional items[link]

At various times, promotional items were available, packaged with some Chia Collectibles, rather than being available individually.

Watch-Me-Grow Chia Cards[link]

Available from 2000 to 2001,^[21] with most Chia products (except for the Terra Cotta Herb Garden). A Watch-Me-Grow Chia Card displays a changing image of the Chia item it was packaged with in various stages of growth, from the bare Terra Cotta statue, to the fully grown image normally displayed on the packaging. During the time they were available, the cards were rubber-pasted to the front of the packaging, where the usual product image was normally located, though still sealed under the outer layer of shrink-wrap. Watch-Me-Grow Chia Cards were available depicting the following items: Chia Puppy, Chia Kitten, Chia Bunny, Chia Turtle, Chia Pig, Chia Frog, Chia Hippo, Chia Elephant, Chia Cow, Chia Dinosaur, Chia Guy, Chia Kid, Chia Professor, Chia Clown, Chia Lion Cub, Chia Elmer Fudd, Chia Taz, Chia Tweety, and Chia Tree.

Chia Alarm Clock[link]

Available packaged with all Chia Pets, the two remaining Chia Heads, and the Chia Tree during wave 11 in 2006 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Chia Pet.^[21] The Chia Alarm Clock is a small plastic LCD alarm clock resembling Chia Puppy at full growth, and plays the Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia jingle as its alarm sound.^[24]

Mini Chia Cuddly and Chia Watch[link]

The Mini Chia Cuddly was available with the regular Chia Pets in 2007 and 2008. ^[25] In 2007, pack-ins were available with the same items as the previous year, but were expanded. The Chia Alarm Clock continued to be available, but packages could also contain a Mini Chia Cuddly in the shape of the bear cub, or a Chia Watch, which was a simple digital watch with a clear gel watchband having tiny colored images of various Chia Pets stamped on it. Each packaged Chia Pet, Chia Head, or Chia Tree displayed a decal indicating which of the three pack-ins would be found inside.

Chia Playing Cards[link]

In 2008, the pack-ins included only the previously available Mini Chia Cuddly and a new deck of Chia Playing Cards. The cards were of the standard four-suit playing card variety, and had pictures of various Chia Pets in the center of each card.

References[link]

Notes

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (May 2010)

External links[link]

• Official Chia Pet website of Joseph Enterprises, Inc.
• The History of Chia Pets
• News.com: Chia Pet seeks Web name ch-ch-change
• A look at a Chia Pet growing in pictures

Chia may refer to:

Botany[link]

• Salvia hispanica, flowering plant, sprouts and culinary chia seed
• Salvia columbariae ("golden chia")
• Salvia polystachya

Places[link]

• Chía, Cundinamarca, Colombia
• Chía, Aragon, Spain
• Chia, Italy

Personal names[link]

• Italian and Spanish surname
  • Sandro Chia, an Italian painter and sculptor
• Chinese surname, also romanized as Xie or Tse
  • Alyssa Chia, a Taiwanese actress
  • Amber Chia, a Malaysian model
  • Danny Chia, a Malaysian golfer
  • Eric Chia, a Malaysian businessman
  • Gec Chia, a Filipino basketball player
  • Mantak Chia, a Thai author and teacher on Taoism and qigong
  • Nelson Chia, Singaporean actor, director and lecturer
  • Nicholas Chia, current Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore
  • Pei-yuan Chia, an American businessmann
  • Steve Chia, a Singaporean politician
  • Chia Thye Poh, a Singaporean political prisoner
  • Wenlan Chia, an American fashion designer
• As a first name Chia is the Spanish variant of the name Lucia

See also[link]

• Chia Pet
• Chia Black Dragon, a fictional dark fantasy character
• Chía (goddess), wife of Bochica in Colombian mythology
• "Chia", a song by Four Tet from the album Rounds
• Masala chai, called chia in Nepal
• CHIA, Children's Hope In Action

This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.

The examples and perspective in this article deal primarily with USA and do not represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please improve this article and discuss the issue on the talk page. (February 2010)

A cat and dog, the two most popular pets

A pet is a household animal kept for companionship and a person's enjoyment, as opposed to livestock, laboratory animals, working animals and sport animals which are kept for economic reasons. The most popular pets are noted for their attractive appearances and their loyal or playful personalities. Their pedegree may also be a factor.

In some cases pets may also provide their owners with benefits, such as providing companionship to elderly adults who do not have adequate social interaction with other people.^{[1] [2]} While some people believe in the physical and emotional benefits of owning a pet, scientists are currently working to verify these ideas with medical studies.^[3] There is now a medically-approved class of "therapy animals," mostly dogs, that are brought to visit confined humans. Pet therapy utilizes trained animals and handlers to achieve specific physical, social, cognitive, and emotional goals with patients.^[4] Walking a dog can provide both the owner and the dog with exercise, fresh air, and social interaction.

The most popular pets are dogs and cats, but there are also rodent pets, such as gerbils, hamsters, chinchillas, fancy rats, and guinea pigs; avian pets, such as canaries, parakeets, and parrots; reptile pets, such as turtles, lizards and snakes; and aquatic pets, such as tropical fish and frogs.

Local restrictions[link]

Many cities and towns have local ordinances limiting the number of pets a person may have, although a certain number of animals may be kept for business purposes. They may also restrict or forbid certain pets, such as exotics. Certain breeds of dog, such as the pit bull and the Rottweiler, are banned in some places. Canid hybrids, created by breeding dogs with other members of the canine family, may be banned in some places. Semi-exotic cats, such as the Savannah, are also banned in some locations.

In many locations, animals that are considered pets by their owners but are legally classified as livestock, including horses, pigs, camelids, and fowl may be banned from being kept within the city limits or restricted to property of a certain larger size.

The cities of Berkeley, California, and Boulder, Colorado, have passed laws stating that people who have pets do not "own" them; rather, they are the pet's "guardian."^{[citation needed]}

Condominium associations and rental properties often limit or forbid pets ownership by their tenants.

Pet popularity[link]

There are approximately 78.2 million pet dogs in the United States, and approximately 86.4 million pet cats in the United States. ^[5] The two most popular pets in most Western countries have been cats and dogs. In the United States, a 2007-2008 survey showed that dog-owning households outnumbered those owning cats, but that the total number of pet cats was higher than that of dogs. The same was true for 2009-2010.^[6]

Most Popular Pets in the U.S (millions)^[7][8]

Pet	Global population	U.S. population	U.S. inhabited households	U.S. average per inhabited household
Cat	202	93.6	38.2	2.45
Dog	171	77.5	45.6	1.70
Fish	N/A	171.7	13.3	12.86
Small mammals	N/A	15.9	5.3	3.00
Birds	N/A	15.0	6.0	2.50
Reptiles & Amphibians	N/A	13.6	4.7	2.89
Equine	N/A	13.3	3.9	3.41

A Maltese puppy

Choice of a pet[link]

For a small to medium-size dog, the total cost over a dog's lifetime is about $7,240 to $12,700.^[9] For an indoor cat, the total cost over a cat's lifetime is about $8,620 to $11,275.^[10] People most commonly get pets for companionship, to protect a home or property, or because of the beauty or attractiveness of the animals.^[11] The most common reasons for not owning a pet are lack of time, lack of suitable housing, and lack of ability to care for the pet when traveling.^[11]

United States[link]

Margaret Gorman with her pet Greyhound in April 1925

According to the 2007-2008 Pet Owners survey:^[12]

Canada[link]

The latest survey done by Colin Siren of Ipsos Reid estimates that there are 7.9 million cats and 5.9 million dogs in Canada. The survey also shows that 35% of Canadian households have a dog, while 38% have a cat, which is consistent with other surveys conducted around the world.^[13]

United Kingdom[link]

A 2007 survey by the University of Bristol found that 26% of UK households owned cats and 31% owned dogs, estimating total domestic populations of approximately 10.3 million cats and 10.5 million dogs in 2006.^[14] 47.2% of households with a cat had at least one person educated to degree level, compared with 38.4% of homes with dogs.^[15]

Overpopulation[link]

The examples and perspective in this section may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please improve this article and discuss the issue on the talk page. (February 2010)

Animal protection advocates call attention to pet overpopulation in the United States. The Humane Society of the United States estimates that animal shelters care for 6-8 million dogs and cats every year in the United States, of whom approximately 3-4 million are euthanized.^[16] This situation is created by nonneutered (non-spayed/castrated) animals reproducing and people intentionally breeding animals. A particularly problematic combination of economic hardship combined with a love of animals contributes to this problem in parts of the rural United States.^[17] There are also major overpopulation problems with other pet species, such as birds and rabbits. Local humane societies, Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCAs), and other animal protection organizations urge people to neuter their pets and to adopt animals from animal shelters instead of purchasing them from breeders or pet stores.

Effects on pets' health[link]

Keeping animals as pets may become detrimental to their health if certain requirements are not kept. An important issue is inappropriate feeding, which may produce clinical effects (like the consumption of chocolate ^[18] by dogs). Among the foods that can be toxic to pets, are: avocados, alcohol, candy, caffeine, grapes and raisins, nuts, and onions.^[19] Passive smoking is dangerous for pets. Researchers have found that exposure to tobacco smoke has been associated with certain cancers in dogs and cats and allergies in dogs.^[20]

Effects of pets on their caregiver's health[link]

Health benefits[link]

Pets have the ability to stimulate their caregivers, in particular the elderly, giving people someone to take care of, someone to exercise with, and someone to help them heal from a physically or psychologically troubled past.^[21] Having a pet may help people achieve health goals, such as lowered blood pressure, or mental goals, such as decreased stress.^{[22][23][24][25][26][27]} There is evidence that having a pet can help a person lead a longer, healthier life. In a study of 92 people hospitalized for coronary ailments, within a year 11 of the 29 patients without pets had died, compared to only 3 of the 52 patients who had pets.^[21] Pet ownership was shown to significantly reduce triglycerides, and thus heart disease risk, in the elderly.^[28] A study by the National Institute of Health found that people who owned dogs were less likely to die as a result of a heart attack than those who didn’t own one.^[29] While other studies have shown that for the elderly, good health may be a requirement of pet ownership, and not a result of pet ownership.^[30] Dogs which are trained to be guide dogs can help people with disabilities. Dogs that are trained in the field of Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) can also benefit people with disabilities.

Pets in long-term care institutions[link]

Even pet owners residing in a long-term care facility, such as a hospice or nursing home, experience health benefits from pets. Pets help people cope with the emotional issues related to their illness. They also offer physical contact with another living creature, something that is often missing in an elder's life.^[31] Pets for nursing homes are chosen based on the size of the pet, the amount of care that the breed needs, and the population and size of the care institution.^[21] Appropriate pets go through a screening process and, if it is a dog, additional training programs to become a therapy dog.^[32] There are three types of Therapy Dogs: "Facility Therapy Dogs", "Animal Assisted Therapy Dogs" and "Therapeutic Visitation Dogs". The most common Therapy Dogs are "Therapeutic Visitation Dogs". These dogs are household pets whose owners take time to visit hospitals, nursing homes, detention facilities, and rehabilitation facilities.^[33] Different pets require varying amounts of attention and care; for example, cats have lower maintenance requirements than dogs.^[34]

Health risks[link]

Health risks that are associated with pets include:

• Aggravation of allergies and asthma caused by dander and fur or feathers
• Falling injuries. Tripping over pets, especially dogs, causes more than 86,000 falls serious enough to prompt a trip to the emergency room each year in the United States.^[35] Among elderly and disabled people, these falls have resulted in life-threatening injuries and broken bones.
• Injuries, maulings and sometimes deaths caused by pet bites and attacks
• Disease and/or parasites due to animal hygiene problems or lack of appropriate treatment (faeces and urine)
• Stress caused by behaviour of animals
• Fear or distress from animal presence or behaviour
• Spread of diseases like the fatal rabies when not properly taken care of.

Common types[link]

While many people have kept many different species of animals in captivity over the course of human history, only a relative few have been kept long enough to be considered domesticated. Other types of animals, notably monkeys, have never been domesticated but are still commonly sold and kept as pets. There are also inanimate objects that have been kept as "pets", either as a form of game, or humorously (e.g. the pet rock).

Domesticated[link]

Domesticated pets are the most common types of pet. A domesticated animal is any animal that has been tamed and made fit for a human environment.^[36] They have consistently been kept in captivity over a long enough period of time that they exhibit marked differences in behavior and appearance from their wild relatives.

Mammals[link]

A pet rabbit

• Alpacas
• Asses including mules, miniature donkeys, donkeys,
• Cats
• Cows
• Dogs
• Ferrets
• Hedgehogs
• Horses
• Goats
• Pygmy Goats
• Llamas
• Pot-Bellied Pigs
• Rabbits
• Rodents, including hamsters, guinea pigs, fancy mice, gerbils, chinchillas, plains viscachas, and fancy rats
• Sheep including ewes and lambs

Birds[link]

• Companion parrots, including the budgerigar, lovebird, monk parakeet cockatoo, african grey parrot, macaw and Rose-ringed parakeets
• Toucans
• Domestic Canary and other finch species
• Chickens
• Domestic turkeys
• Domestic ducks and geese
• Peafowl
• Columbidae
• Ravens and Crows

Fish[link]

• Goldfish
• Koi
• Siamese fighting fish (also known as betta fish)

Wild[link]

Wild animals are often kept as pets. The term wild in this context specifically applies to any species of animal which has not undergone a fundamental change in behavior to facilitate a close co-existence with humans. Some species listed here may have been bred in captivity for a considerable length of time, but are still not recognized as domesticated. Many of these pets, like insects and fish, are kept as a hobby, rather than for companionship.

Exotic mammals[link]

• Anteaters like giant anteaters and southern tamanduas
• Canidae like arctic foxes, coydogs, dingos, fennec foxes, gray foxes, and wolfdogs
• Civets like binturongs and genets
• Deer like reindeer and leaf muntjacs
• Duikers
• Felidae like bobcats, cheetahs, jaguars, leopards, cougars, lions, ocelots, servals, and tigers
• Marsupials like opossums, koalas, short-tailed opossums, wallabys, wallaroos, and wombats
• Mongoose
• Mustelids like badgers, minks, skunks, and otters
• Ocelots
• Primates like capuchin monkeys, chimpanzees, guenons, lemurs, macaques, marmosets, slow lorises, spider monkeys, squirrel monkeys, sykes' monkeys, tamarins, tarsiers, and vervet monkeys - see Pet monkey for more.
• Procyonidae like cacomistles, coatimundi, kinkajous, raccoons, and ringtail cats
• Rodents like chipmunks, degus, dormouse, flying squirrels, groundhogs, patagonian cavys, pouched rats, and prairie dogs.
• Spotted Hyena
• Tapirs
• Sloths such as two-toed sloths and pale-throated three-toed sloths

Birds[link]

• Pied Crows
• Parakeets

Reptiles[link]

• Crocodilians, including alligators, caimans, crocodiles, and gharials
• Iguanas
• Lizards (many of the commonly kept ones like bearded dragons, leopard geckos, green anoles, blue tongue skinks, monitor lizards, green iguanas, and other lizards)
• Snakes (many of the commonly kept ones like corn, king, milk and other snakes have morphs, which are color or pattern mutations)
• Tortoises
• Turtles

Amphibians[link]

• Frogs
• Newts
• Salamanders
• Toads

Fish[link]

Some of the common freshwater aquarium fishes. For more species of freshwater fishes, please see the list of freshwater aquarium fish species.

• Angelfish (freshwater)
• Barb
• Cichlid
• Corydoras
• Danio
• Discus
• Gourami
• Live-bearer
• Loach
• Mbuna
• Plecostomus
• Rainbowfish
• Rasbora
• Tetra

Some of the common marine aquarium fishes. For more species of saltwater fishes, please see the list of marine aquarium fish species.

• Angelfish (marine)
• Blenny
• Boxfish
• Butterflyfish
• Chromis
• Clownfish
• Damsel
• Goby
• Lionfish
• Pufferfish
• Seahorse
• Tang
• Triggerfish
• Wrasse

Jellyfish[link]

Aurelia aurita (moon jellyfish) are becoming popular pets.

• Aurelia aurita (moon jellyfish)

Arthropods[link]

The Caribbean hermit crab is one example of a pet arthropod.

• Ants
• Centipedes
• Cockroaches
• Crabs and Hermit Crabs
• Crickets
• Daphnia
• Millipedes
• Pill Bugs, giant
• Praying Mantises
• Sea Monkeys (a type of brine shrimp)
• Scorpions
• Shrimp (including closely related creatures such as amphipods and branchiopods)
• Stick Insects
• Tarantulas and other spiders can be kept as well
• Triops
• Vinegaroons (whip scorpions)

Molluscs[link]

• Snails
• Cuttlefish
• Octopuses

Non-living[link]

• Digital pets such as Gigapets, Neopets, Tamagotchi, or Nintendogs
• Pet rocks - a type of toy; a rock treated as a pet
• Stuffed toys are sometimes treated as pets
• Robotic
  • Humanoid robots - robots designed to resemble and interact with humans such as QRIO and ASIMO
  • Robotic pets - artificially intelligent robots treated as pets such as Aibo, Genibo, Robopet and Mini Wrex the dawg
  • Robotic stuffed animals - robots covered in fur such as Furby and Zhu Zhu Pets
  • Robotic dinosaurs - robots designed to resemble dinosaurs such as Pleo and D-Rex
  • Domestic robots - some people treat domestic robots such as Roomba as pets

See also[link]

• Animal Chaplains
• American Animal Hospital Association
• Animal hoarder
• Animal keeping
• Brood parasite
• Dog attack
• Dog grooming
• Human-animal bonding
• P.A.W.S.
• Pet adoption
• Pet cloning
• Pet First Aid
• Pet food
• Pet insurance
• Pet passport
• Pet sitting
• Pet shop
• Pet store
• Pets for vets
• Popular cat names
• The Pet Network
• United States presidential pets
• Category:Veterinary medicine
• Zoonosis

• Pet loss:
  • Animal loss
  • Pet cemetery
  • Rainbow Bridge (pets)
• Alternative pets:
  • Digital pet
  • Exotic pet

References[link]

External links[link]

• Companion Animal Demographics in the United States: A Historical Perspective from The State of the Animals II: 2003

Wikibooks has a book on the topic of How to choose your pet and take care of it

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Pets

Look up pet in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Steven Lenhart

Personal information
Full name	Steven Lenhart
Date of birth	(1986-08-28) August 28, 1986 (age 25)
Place of birth	Jacksonville, Florida, United States
Height	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Playing position	Forward
Club information
Current club	San Jose Earthquakes
Number	24
Youth career
2000-2004	Irvine Strikers
2004	Point Loma Nazarene Sealions
2005–2007	Azusa Pacific Cougars
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2007	Southern California Seahorses	6	(3)
2008–2010	Columbus Crew	63	(13)
2011–	San Jose Earthquakes	25	(11)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of May 24, 2011. † Appearances (Goals).

Steven Lenhart (born August 28, 1986 in Jacksonville, Florida) is an American soccer player who currently plays for San Jose Earthquakes in Major League Soccer.

Career[link]

College and amateur[link]

Lenhart grew up in Yorba Linda, California, and attended Esperanza High School. He attended Point Loma Nazarene University for one year before transferring to Azusa Pacific University. He tallied 38 goals and 12 assists in his 61 career collegiate games for Azusa Pacific, and was named a NAIA All-American in 2007. He was also named to the NAIA All-Tournament Team in 2006 and 2007, was honored as the NAIA Tournament's Outstanding Offensive Player in 2006 and 2007, and was MVP of the 2007 NAIA Tournament while helping lead Azusa Pacific to the 2007 NAIA national title over Concordia University, Irvine. During his college years, Lenhart also played for the Southern California Seahorses in the USL Premier Development League.

Professional[link]

Lenhart was selected by the Columbus Crew as the 48th overall selection in the 2008 MLS SuperDraft. He made his MLS debut on May 31, 2008 as a second half substitute against Chivas USA, and scored his first MLS goal on June 21, 2008, against Los Angeles Galaxy.His Rookie season ended with an MLS Championship. Coach Sigi Schmid subbed Steven into the last 5 minutes to show his appreciation for the contribution to the Crew's winning season.

Outside of MLS league play Lenhart has proved himself a capable scorer, tallying 3 goals in the 2009–10 CONCACAF Champions League. He scored his first goal in the 58' minute in a 2 - 0 victory against the Puerto Rico Islanders, and claiming the other 2 goals in the 65' and 83' minute in a come from behind 2 - 2 draw against Mexican side Toluca.

Lenhart netted his first goal of the 2010-11 CONCACAF Champions League in the 79' minute in a 3-0 win over Joe Public F.C., making his total 4 goals in the Champions League thus far.

Lenhart also has 2 goals so far in the 2010 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, his first coming in the 94' minute against the Rochester Rhinos who knocked out the Columbus Crew from the tournament the previous year, his goal ended up being the game winner as the final score was 2 - 1 in favor of the Crew.

On January 13, 2011 Lenhart was traded to the San Jose Earthquakes along with allocation money in exchange for the #15 pick in the 2011 MLS SuperDraft.^[1] He signed a new contract with San Jose on November 30, 2011.^[2]

In 2012 Lenhart developed a reputation for antagonism and embellishment after controversial game-changing calls went in his favor in games against the Seattle Sounders and Real Salt Lake.

Honors[link]

Columbus Crew[link]

• Major League Soccer MLS Cup (1): 2008
• Major League Soccer Supporter's Shield (2): 2008, 2009

See also[link]

• List of current MLS players

References[link]

External links[link]

• MLS player profile

Pablo E Sandoval
Pablo Sandoval tagging a player at 3rd base
San Francisco Giants – No. #48
3rd Baseman/1st Baseman
Born: (1986-08-11) August 11, 1986 (age 25) Puerto Cabello, Venezuela
Bats: Switch	Throws: Right[1]
MLB debut
August 14, 2008 for the San Francisco Giants
Career statistics (through May 03, 2012)
Batting average	.308
Hits	554
Home runs	69
Runs batted in	262
On base percentage	.357
Slugging percentage	.502
Teams
San Francisco Giants (2008–present)
Career highlights and awards
World Series champion (2010) All Star selection (2011) Hit for the cycle (September 15th, 2011) NL Player of the Week (2011)

Pablo E. Sandoval (born August 11, 1986), nicknamed Kung Fu Panda,^[2] is a Venezuelan professional baseball infielder for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball. Sandoval is a 5'11", 237 pound switch hitter. He was born left handed, but did not want to have to play outfield all of his career. He therefore taught himself to throw right handed as well. He can still throw with both hands, but throws right handed during games.^[1]

Minor leagues[link]

Signed as an undrafted free agent in 2002, Sandoval began his professional career as a catcher in 2004 with the AZL Giants, hitting .266 with no home runs and 26 RBIs in 177 at bats.

In 2005, he was used almost entirely as a third baseman while playing for the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes. He hit .330 with three home runs and 50 RBIs. His batting average slumped in 2006 to .265. He had one home run and 49 RBIs with the Augusta GreenJackets that year, splitting time between first and third base. In 2007, he played for the San Jose Giants, hitting .287 with 11 homers and 52 RBIs. That season, he was used as a catcher and first baseman.

In 2008, he spent time with two minor league teams, the Single-A San Jose Giants and the Double-A Connecticut Defenders, before being called up to the majors. In 273 at bats for San Jose, he hit .359 with 12 home runs and 59 RBIs. In 175 at bats with Connecticut, he hit .337 with 8 homers and 37 RBIs. In total, he hit .350 with 20 home runs and 96 RBIs in 2008.

Major leagues[link]

Sandoval was called up to the Majors on August 13, 2008. He debuted the next day, August 14, going 0-for-3. In his first MLB plate appearance, he hit a sacrifice fly for an RBI. He got his first hit in the second inning of his next game, August 16, on his way to going 3-for-5. In 41 games in 2008, he hit .345 with 3 home runs and 24 RBI, striking out only 14 times in 154 at-bats. He hit his first MLB home run on August 27 off of Livan Hernandez of the Colorado Rockies.

On defense, the Giants have used him as a catcher for pitcher Barry Zito,^[3] who gave Sandoval the nickname Kung Fu Panda.^[2] He received the nickname after a play on September 19, 2008, where he scored a run against the Los Angeles Dodgers by jumping over the tag of catcher Danny Ardoin, scoring from second base on a single by Bengie Molina.^[4]

In 2009 spring training, he batted .457, leading all batters with 80 or more at bats.^[5] On May 12, 2009, Sandoval hit his first walk-off home run to beat the Washington Nationals 9–7. In 2008, he had 145 at bats, he batted .345, while hitting into only 6 double-plays. After 73 games played, San Francisco Chronicle columnist Scott Ostler wrote that Sandoval had made the most impressive transition from the Giants farm system since 1986 when Will Clark and Robby Thompson were rookies.^[6]

Sandoval's first days in the majors were marked by a tendency to free swing. Giants hitting coach Carney Lansford noted that Sandoval contributed to the team's drawing the fewest walks in the National League at a time when the overall number of walks throughout baseball had increased. "As much as I try to get him to be disciplined, it's like caging a lion. He leaves the dugout ready to swing the bat. I literally tell him before every at-bat, 'Swing at a strike."^[7] Sandoval himself characterized his approach as: "See ball, swing." In July 2009, he was named a Sprint Final Vote candidate for the 80th annual All-Star Game for the final roster spot on the National League team.^[8] He was beat out by Shane Victorino of the Philadelphia Phillies on the last day of voting.^[9]

On July 6, 2009, Sandoval hit his first career grand slam at home at AT&T Park against the visiting Florida Marlins.

On July 30, 2009, Sandoval hit his first home run into McCovey Cove on Willie McCovey's 50th anniversary of his MLB Debut with McCovey in attendance. At the time of the home run, McCovey was being interviewed by Giants commentators Duane Kuiper and Mike Krukow on the Giant's flagship station CSN Bay Area. Sandoval also made Giants history for most hits by a Giants switch-hitter in a single season with 189 in 2009.

Sandoval finished the 2009 season with the second-highest batting average among NL hitters, at .330, and finished seventh in NL MVP voting.^[10]

Sandoval, however, saw a sophomore slump in 2010, with a .268 batting average, 13 home runs, and 63 RBI. Sandoval hired Triple Threat Performance of Tempe, AZ to help him lose weight over the offseason and to help improve his performance.^[11] By the time that Spring Training started he had lost a reported 38 pounds.^[12] In his first three 2011 Spring Training games, Sandoval connected for 2 home runs.

Entering 2011, the Giants made a publicized campaign called "Operation Panda," which was aimed at getting Sandoval into better shape during the offseason and shedding the extra pounds.^[13] "Operation Panda" worked masterfully, with the third baseman losing 30-plus pounds, and more importantly, it led to results on the field for Sandoval. After a subpar 2010 season, Sandoval returned to 2009 form. He got off to a good start in 2011 but however suffered a broken hamate bone in late April and missed 4–6 weeks. On July 10, 2011, Sandoval was selected to the National League All-Star team. In his first All-Star at bat, Sandoval hit an RBI ground-rule double and NL won 2011 MLB All-Star Game.

On September 15, 2011, Sandoval hit for the cycle at Colorado against pitcher Jhoulys Chacin. He had (in order) a two-run HR in the 1st, single in the 2nd, double in the 5th and a triple in the 6th.^[14] On September 19, 2011, Sandoval earned his first career "NL Player of the Week" Award.^[15] In 2011, Sandoval hit .315 with 23 home runs and 70 RBI's, which is a significant improvement from 2010. He only had 462 at-bats which is a lot less than his other at-bat season totals in 2009, and 2010.

On April 26, 2012, Pablo Sandoval hit a single in the 4th inning of a game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati. This was the 19th consecutive game since Opening Day in which Sandoval had a hit, setting a Giants franchise record for longest consecutive hitting streak to begin a season. The previous record - of 18 games - was set by Johnny Rucker in 1945.^[16]

Personal[link]

Sandoval was born in Puerto Cabello, Carabobo, Venezuela.^[17] Sandoval is a devout Roman Catholic, and blesses himself after each base hit. He attributes his success to his faith, saying it is important to be “seizing the opportunities offered in life by God and the need to fight tirelessly, not to survive but to excel.”^[18]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website
• Pablo Sandoval on Twitter
• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)