Petpet Underappreciation

      Their forms are many and varied; even within a single species of petpet, there can be many colours and variations. They are also ubiquitous, coming from every nook and cranny in Neopia. Petpets can be seen wandering around such far-flung regions as Terror Mountain, the Lost Desert, and even swimming beneath the waves of Maraqua. Plus, petpets’ personalities are as diverse as their origins; each is so unique, it’s amazing!

      Because of my desire to share my enthusiastic love of petpets with others, here are the top three items on my list of reasons petpets are great:

      • Happiness. First and foremost, they make Neopets happy! This fact alone should be enough to convince any Neopian of their worth. Whenever I present one of my Neopets with a petpet, they respond enthusiastically, “Wow! I am very happy with my new [insert petpet name here].” With so many different kinds, there is bound to be one that complements each Neopet’s unique personality perfectly. They will have a sweet and constant friend to keep them company while you’re out earning neopoints to provide a good living for them or tending to the needs of your other Neopets. Petpets are the perfect antidote for a lonely pet and bring hours upon hours of happiness.

      • Avatars. Several petpets can grant avatars simply by playing with your Neopets for a while. Some will do so immediately, such as a Meowclops or Angelpuss; others take some time to get used to your Neopet and get to know them before awarding their elusive avatars. Who doesn’t love the accomplishment of earning a new secret avatar? These avatars are great for expressing moods, as a mark of achievement, and if you have enough of them, you can even get an Avatar Collector trophy! All is possible with the help of a few petpets.

      • Monetary value. If the intangible joy of your pets and the sense of expression and achievement afforded by avatars do not appeal to you, petpets still have value to offer. Just check out the trading post to see the current market price of a Candychan, Kadoatie, or Krawk. I say check the trading post, rather than ask the Shop Wizard, because you will not find them in any user shops; if anyone who has one is willing to part with them, they go for millions of neopoints! These three petpets aren’t the only ones worth several million, either. There are many that, should you be lucky enough to find one, can enrich the lives of you and your Neopet(s) in more ways than one.

      I could go on, but by now you should be convinced that petpets are some of the best things to happen in the history of Neopia. However, there are numerous threats to their safety and well-being that need to be addressed:

      • Games. For some of the most blatant examples of the type of misfortune to which Petpets are all too often subjected, one needs to look no further than the game room. Petpets are being imprisoned left and right and forced to do the dirty work for some fearsome characters. Gargrall is forcing several petpets to work in his mines, one of the most dangerous places to work in Petpet Rescue. Similarly in Petpet Plunge, Sir Pompadour has decided that his hair is just too important to risk getting wet. Instead, he enslaves some Maraquan petpets to retrieve sunken treasure for him, prioritizing his own enrichment over their lives. Imprisonment isn’t even the worst fate they may face. Several petpets are at risk of becoming Balthazar’s next meal in Extreme Herder; the ravenous Lupe will even eat Samrin, the petpets’ shepherd, if the Kacheek gets in his way. However, by far the worst offense is Feed Florg; terrified petpets are running for the edge of the table just trying to escape with their lives, and the objective is to keep them on the plate, so they can be eaten by Florg. The player is required to stop, rather than aid, their frantic attempt at survival.

      Note: while these particular threats may be temporarily curtailed, they are sure to return.

      • Turmaculus. Great Turmaculus, king of the petpets, spends most of the day sleeping in Meridell. If another petpet is lucky enough, though, they may be able to wake him. For successful petpets, this achievement can have a variety of outcomes: Turmaculus may give out items or increase the petpet’s level, but sometimes when awoken he may eat the petpet responsible. Now let me be clear that I’m not blaming Turmaculus for these occurrences; when I’m groggy from being unexpectedly woken up, I’m also liable to eat whatever or whoever woke me. I do, however, blame the owners who actually want Turmaculus to eat their petpet. I can understand approaching the great Turmac in the hopes of receiving newfound strength or items, but hoping to lose your friendly companion as a snack? That’s just uncalled for.

      • Grave Danger. I think the name alone suggests what a risky idea it is for anyone, Neopet or petpet, to venture into the Neovian catacombs. While it’s true that the curses being cast in the catacombs don’t work on petpets, there are other dangers to which they are not immune. Petpets face all manner of danger from the innocent mistake of being stepped on at cultist dance parties, and the fire breath of dragons to the more sinister hunger of gelatinous non-cubes and zombies, and skeletons attacking them with bow and arrow. Even if they manage to evade all these physical dangers, they might not be in the clear. The catacombs are littered with dung cream sandwiches and glowing ghostly residue, and there are cobwebs and slime all around; it’s not exactly sanitary. I hate to think of what kinds of sickness and disease the poor petpets might pick up down there.

      • Neglect. This form of abuse is incredibly common, and I feel I must confess that even I am guilty of this offense. Too many petpets spend months or even years sitting in a forgotten corner of someone’s safety deposit box. They get lonely in there surrounded by lifeless objects with no one to play with. It’s not too hard to cheer them up, though, and brighten their day with just the slightest effort. A few seconds of light conversation is enough to set my Neopets’ petpets purring softly, smiling, rubbing against my legs, or even running and swimming around in circles. A little love goes a long way with these friendly critters, so make sure they get some playful interaction, rather than sitting alone in a box. Petpets aren’t emotionless objects, so let’s stop treating them like they are.

      This petpet appreciation day, please take a moment to give some extra love to any petpets in your life, and support your local chapter of the Petpet Protection League to help ensure all petpets are given the best life possible.