Domestic animals are animals that have been selectively bred and genetically adapted over generations to live alongside humans. They are genetically distinct from their wild ancestors or cousins. Domestication of animals is the mutual relationship between non-human animals and the humans who have influence on their care and reproduction. The domestication process happens through selective breeding, where individuals that exhibit desirable traits are chosen for breeding. There are three main groupings of domesticated animals:
- Domestication for companionship (dogs, cats, ferrets, hamsters, etc.)
- Animals farmed for food (sheep, cows, pigs, turkeys, etc.)
- Working or draft animals (horses, donkeys, camels)
In order to be considered fully domesticated, most species have undergone significant genetic, behavioral, and morphological changes from their wild ancestors, while others have changed very little from their wild ancestors despite hundreds or thousands of years of potential selective breeding. Some of the traits that make animals good candidates for domestication include growing and maturing quickly, breeding easily in captivity, eating plant-based diets, being hardy and easily adapting to changing conditions, and living in herds or having ancestors that lived in herds, making them easy for humans to control.
