Brave, adventurous, sociable and independent by nature, Sagittarians expect the same of their animals. You treat your pets as individuals in their own right, indulge their idiosyncrasies and pander to their demands.

You are generous with your time and attention and, all-too-often, with your titbits. Your animals, recognizing a soft touch, are likely to take advantage of your leniency and benevolence. Not surprisingly, they will be devoted to you and defensive of you. If nothing else, their lives are unlikely to be boring since they will never be entirely certain of what adventures tomorrow will bring.

Sagittarians hate to feel tied down by their animals and you will develop a reliable back-up system which will enable you to indulge your personal desire to be a free spirit when the mood takes you, knowing that your pets are in good hands. You will love them desperately when you are with them, but will succeed in putting them firmly to the back of your mind when you are elsewhere.

Although your birth sign rules hunted animals such as deer, you tend to be more attracted to the hunters than the hunted. Horses are also closely linked to your sign and many Sagittarians are keen riders. But owning a horse demands too much time, commitment and money for the average Sagittarian whose open-handed approach to life means that they are frequently short of cash. You are far better equipped to own dogs and cats capable of adapting to your somewhat eclectic lifestyle while maintaining their own individuality.

Top dog for the typical Sagittarian is a labrador retriever, an enthusiastic, good-humoured, foolhardy, sociable and easy-going animal who will try everything once – frequently with unexpected results. Labradors will eat anything, from cardboard boxes to electronic calculators. It is small wonder that they are prone to put on weight despite their love of exercise.

When it comes to cats, the tabby is an ideal Sagittarian companion, having plenty of character and being independent, bold and sociable. Budgerigars are also natural pets for Sagittarians. These friendly, chirpy birds are inexpensive and easy to keep and train. Like their owners, they need space to stretch their wings, and possess a philosophical turn of phrase if kept singly although, ideally, they should be housed with other budgerigars.
For Sagittarians who want something a little different there is always the ferret - a lively, interesting and attractive pet if handled with respect. A domesticated polecat, kept for centuries to catch rabbits underground, ferrets are bold, energetic and need plenty of stimulation. They also enjoy their food.

The suggestions above are merely guidelines and in no way suggest that there is only one breed or type of pet which is suitable for any one Zodiac sign. And it is, of course, essential to know everything there is to know about buying and keeping any pet before taking it home.