B2. Life with Pets on Earth and Mars

Symbiotic relationship with organisms

Why can't humans and organisms live with mutual respect? By unraveling the past and re-examining our relationships, we might be able to start something better.

Since the hunter-gatherer era, animals have not only been targets of hunting but also partners in hunting and sources of labor in a symbiotic relationship. From this, pets as companion animals have also emerged.

The pet boom occurred due to population growth and improved living standards, leading to the recognition of pet rights as an issue. Additionally, efforts to address climate change and sustainability have intensified, making ecosystem management and conservation important challenges.

Space development has become active, with concepts of migration to Mars and research and development of closed ecosystems such as aquaponics progressing. On Earth, efforts to ensure pets are mentally and physically healthy and happy have begun.

The values of symbiotic relationships with animals have been reiterated due to the necessities of the space exploration era. As the mutual influence between space and Earth progresses, an environment where non-human animals can also live happily has been realized.

"In ancient times, cows and goats were domesticated, wild animals were hunted, and dogs and cats were hunting partners. During economic growth, some livestock were poorly raised, and overhunting reduced wild animal numbers. The Edo period saw a goldfish boom, followed by trends of keeping rabbits and small birds. Throughout history, the popularity of companion animals has changed, with humans always controlling which animals to cherish and produce.

The number of people who consider companion animals as family members has increased, leading to the development of services and businesses for pets. While the world has become more livable for companion animals, environmental issues such as heatstroke in urban designs centered around humans, away from nature, still remain.

In the mid-phase of space development, life in space becomes more comfortable. Some cows, originally raised as livestock, are selectively bred and become common pet cows.
Meanwhile, on Earth, urban development that promotes coexistence with animals is advancing, and social skills are also required for pets. Educational facilities such as pet kindergartens have been established to support this coexistence.
The values of 'life-focused living' in the extreme conditions of space and 'nature conservation priority' due to environmental issues on Earth are beginning to influence each other as we move towards the mature phase of space development.

In the mid-phase of Mars development, awareness of the welfare and rights of other organisms began to emerge. Humans, who had always lived carefully in the extreme, failure-is-not-an-option conditions of space, naturally extended their stress-free approach to breeding plants and animals. Thus, the shift in values towards supporting animal welfare did not take long.
The most representative animals on Mars are cows, with two types existing: cows brought for livestock and soil improvement measures, and selectively bred small pet cows.

Both livestock cows and pet cows have their living environments respected. This is influenced by Earth's values of 'nature conservation priority.'
The cows improving Mars' polluted soil gradually shifted from being merely raised to being in a symbiotic relationship. In the living areas for livestock cows, space designs were considered to allow cows to live comfortably, and pet cows lived together with humans.

On Mars, colonies are divided into those with commercial and important facilities and those with living spaces, and people use trains to travel between colonies.

Since there are not many animal hospitals on Mars, pet cows wear outing gowns and take the train for regular check-ups.

They eat grass, their manure becomes fertilizer, and when they die, they return to the soil. Humans and cows work together to gradually increase the green areas on Mars.

As a result of failing to stop global warming, natural disasters have increased, and the climate has become more prone to change, causing widespread damage. To restore Earth's nature, the value of treating plants and animals as mere resources is being reconsidered, and the path of coexistence is being pursued.

Humans who have begun to coexist with nature see environmental protection as a new business opportunity, expanding the market with themes such as 'coexistence with animals' and 'restoration of the natural environment.' Cities that promote coexistence with all animals have gained acceptance.

To create a city where both animals and humans can live comfortably, not only are areas for coexistence with wildlife maintained, but these cities also demand social behavior from pets living together with humans. This led to the establishment of "Pet Kindergarten," an educational facility for pet owners and their pets.

This is also influenced by the "life-oriented" values on Mars. There has been a growing opinion to not only maintain free environments for wildlife but also to increase areas in the city where pets can freely move. Graduated pets have the right to go to various places such as restaurants, stations, supermarkets, and beauty salons, and the city itself has increased services that allow pets to accompany their owners.

At Pet Kindergarten, counseling and classes consider the owner's address, lifestyle, and the pet's personality.

Training includes public behavior for pets and essential owner classes on walking routes and holistic care.
Pets are trained not to run off if the leash comes off, and owners learn to handle such situations. Mutual trust is key.

Both work together for a year until graduation, deepening their understanding.

※Holistic care refers to daily health management.

In this era, there are certain hurdles to owning a pet. Without graduating from this kindergarten, one cannot obtain permission to keep a pet.

Upon graduation, a qualification card is issued, allowing access to various public services. Regular counseling is also required to renew the qualification periodically.

Although the number of pet owners has decreased compared to the present, this system, which involves dedicating one's life to understanding and learning about animals, also serves as palliative care for the eventual loss of a pet.