• Guide

Can you get pets in Animal Crossing: New Horizons?

Curious to know whether all those pet items can actually be used? Here's what you need to know about getting pets in Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

Josh Hawkins

June 8, 2020 10:45 AM

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As you unlock new items in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, you’re bound to come across a number of pet related items like litter boxes, doghouses, and more. You’re not alone if you’ve found yourself wondering “can I get pets in Animal Crossing: New Horizons?” Fortunately, we’ve got the answers you’ve been looking for.

Can you get pets in Animal Crossing: New Horizons?

Unfortunately, as it stands, there’s no real way to get a pet in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. There aren’t any cats or dogs, and to be honest, it would probably be kind of weird to have a pet dog or cat considering the fact that your friends on your island are all animals. While there might not be any traditional pets in the game, there are a couple of ways to come close.

Like the litter box, doghouse, and other pet items in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, there is also a hamster cage that has a small little hamster inside. There isn’t any way to feed or take care of the little creature, but it can count as a pet if you really want it to. You can also place down any of the critters that you catch – like the Snapping Turtle – and many of them can act as pets too, with their own aquariums and bowls to keep them from running away.

Sadly, aside from using the bugs and fish that you catch as pets, there really aren’t any other ways to get yourself a pet in New Horizons. This might be sad for many, but it does make sense considering the setting of the game, and the makeup of villagers you can have on your island. We can’t speak for Goldie, but we’re sure it would be weird if you had a pet dog hanging around your house when you had her over for dinner or just to hang out.

While you can’t really have pets, there’s still plenty to do in the latest entry of the series. Make sure you check out our Animal Crossing: New Horizons guide for more info and content, and be sure to brush up on all the fish you can catch with our handy compendium.

Josh Hawkins

Guides Editor

Joshua holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and has been exploring the world of video games for as long as he can remember. He enjoys everything from large-scale RPGs to small, bite-size indie gems and everything in between.