cute analogy
Hi LJK
The "humans as pets" idea is cute, and a fairly recurrent trope in SF. I think, though, we are fundamentally different to (most) animals by virtue of language - potentially infinite state versus finite state bio-machines - and any communicative ETIs will have language or else They won't be trying to talk to us. Because of that I think we will be sufficiently akin to ETIs so we can have conversations rather than frisbee chasing at the park ;-)
Adam