A brilliant man named Gary Dahl came up with the idea for The Pet Rock while patronizing a bar with his friends as they complained about their pets. The rationale is likely obvious to you, dear reader; a rock does not need to be fed, walked, bathed, groomed, vaccinated, can not die, can not become sick, and can not be disobedient. Dahl reasoned that these would be the perfect pets and joked about it with his friends before eventually producing the very fist Pet Rocks as novelties in 1975. Even he was shocked by what was to come, and the cultural significance of these unlikely pets.
Throughout the later half of the 70s and into the 1990s, The Pet Rock was surprisingly popular. Not only were they purchased as novelties as Dahl had intended, but many children actually treated them like pets and, somewhat ironically, would go above and beyond when it came to taking care of their rocks; washing their rocks, crafting leashes and collars and other accessories for them, and even adorning them with hair and googly eyes. The Pet Rock became featured on television shows and even got their own coloring books. They even eventually entered the world of video games via Nintendo Switch!
In 2022, the toy company Super Impulse purchased the rights to the Pet Rock, reviving the brand.
On February 4, 2022 the Perseverance Rover on Mars adopted a Pet Rock. It was observed from one of the hazard avoidance cameras that a small rock had hitched a ride inside one of the rover's wheels, but was situated in such a way to not present any issues that could complicate the mission. It traveled with the Rover for 439 days.
A second rock, officially and affectionately named Dwayne, was adopted by the Perseverance Rover in 2024.
Breeding
It's a rock. It doesn't breed. Still, overpopulation may somehow be a concern in some circumstances...
Grooming
It's a rock. Windex might work, I don't know.
PLEASE NOTE: We do not treat Pet Rocks at Windsor Animal Hospital. If your Pet Rock is sick, you may have bigger problems than you realize.
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