What, in your opinion, are some of the reasons so many people have pets?

I think that some people have pets because pets help get rid of stress and allow for mental and emotional freedom. A pet, no matter how bad of a day you have had, will automatically put you in a better mood because they are always happy and constantly loving. Pets have unconditional love for their owners. No matter the pet, they allow us the chance to vent and not say a word because they can't speak (unless you get a bird that talks). Both me and my brother have japanese beta fish and I love coming home and going to the fish tank to feed the fish and talk to it. (My fish's name is Hubert.)