Question: As a neophyte devotee, I need more clarification on the topic of keeping pets (dogs and cats). My family and I live on a farm in Durban, South Africa. The crime situation is rather serious here, in terms of the womenfolk being held up at their homes. I would like to know if there are any rules or regulations in terms of keeping dogs as a measure of security.
Answer by Romapada Swami: In the Vedic system, householders in general maintained domestic animals, especially cows and sometimes other animals such as dogs also. However, while such animals were maintained for particular purposes, they were not considered part of the household and would not be permitted within the house, the most obvious reason being cleanliness, as the householders were engaged in their religious duties, worshiping the Deities etc. There are specific injunctions that animals should not be allowed in sanctified places such as the temple room of the Deity or the kitchen where offerings to the Deity are cooked.
Another important aspect for which Srila Prabhupada often downplayed the concept of keeping pets is the undue attachment one may develop for the pets on the bodily platform. This can be detrimental to one’s spiritual cultivation and the classic example we know of is the story of Maharaja Bharata, who became so attached to his pet deer that he had to take birth as a deer in his next life. While maintaining the above concerns, keeping dogs for security purposes and offering them prasadam is not improper for a devotee.
