As if technology hasn’t come up with enough, there is a technological substitute for your pet.  If you find that the act of cleaning up after your pet or the daunting task of feeding your pet is too much for you to handle, you can replace it with a few different forms of technology.  Be it via a video game or an actual 3 dimensional pet, you may be able to satisfy your nurturing need.  Most people that have a pet or pets have one because they love animals.  On the other hand, there are many people that don’t have pets, not because they don’t love them, but because they don’t have the time or the will to take care of them.
In this case, there may be a way to have a pet without all the responsibility that comes with owning a pet. The Tamagotchi is a virtual pet that is egg-shaped with a small screen on the front.  The entire unit can fit in the palm of a child’s hand.  Once the unit is turned on the egg will hatch and will indicate its gender.  The idea is to care for the Tamagotchi by feeding, cleaning, medicating, and anything else it may need to continue to grow.  If it is not properly cared for, the Tamagotchi will die.
Nintendo has created a game called the Nintendog.   This particular game is made for the Nintendo DS which has a touch screen and a built in microphone.   The touch screen is a mechanism for you to interact with the dog.  You can pet, wash, play Frisbee, and even brush it.  The microphone feature allows you to call the dog by name, and if properly trained, the dog will answer.  There are also various other voice commands that the dog can be trained to follow.
And then there was the Zhu Zhu Pet, also known as Go Hamsters.  Although these pets may really be more of a collectible than a pet replacement, they could replace a live hamster pretty easily.  Although they come already named, they can be nurtured.  There are two different play modes.   If the nurture mode is turned on, your hamster will make cooing and purring noises.   If they are in adventure mode, they will move about to explore their surroundings.  No feeding or cleaning up is required.
Some say that owning a virtual pet is good practice for owning the real thing.  Others say it’s the perfect replacement.  Depending on your intention for owning a virtual pet will determine its usefulness.  There’s nothing like the welcome your dog gives you when you return home at the end of the day.  No matter what, he’s glad to see you.  Getting that same feeling from a computer screen is not likely.  Although, if you are trying to teach a child the responsibility of becoming a pet owner, a virtual pet might be the way to go.  On the other hand, it might just be that virtual pets are fun to play with, but not necessarily a replacement for a living thing.