Companion Animals

There was a time, before the United States became the Unified America Project, when it was common for people to own companion animals. These animals were live, so people had to set aside money for their care. They needed food, water, and medical care, and were often treated as family members, with their own toys, beds, and even clothing. As natural disasters began ripping apart the nation, especially after the devastation of Hurricane Maxwell in 2027, living companion animals became a status symbol. As the economy crashed and the Revolution began, mental health in the UAP (and the rest of the continent) declined significantly, so the Omega consigned the three big-tech companies to design lifelike robotic companion animals that could monitor the physical and mental health of Project Citizens. These robots, called co-bots (companion robots) were quickly so in-demand, the tech companies struggled to keep up. Citizens loved the option of a companion who would stay loyal to them, required almost no upkeep, and would never get old or die. It made Citizens more comfortable to know that if they didn’t want to take a fun outdoor walk for their mental health for a few days, or they ran out of monthly credits, their co-bot couldn’t suffer. Even the wealthiest were seen as primitive and immoral for keeping live companion animals, and Humanists were used to eventually phase them out completely. In the Independent Nation of Texas, and parts of the Northwest Imperative Territory, there are still people with working animals, like horses. In much of the UAP, any living animal ownership is highly regulated or illegal. Dogs and cats are virtually extinct in the UAP, and most Project Citizens have never seen one alive, but in the outer territories, it is seen as a sign that you have excellent character to have a cat or dog cross your path and stop to greet you.