Pets need not be only for fighting.
If we create one non lethal harvest from the pet. i.e. wool, milk, eggs, feathers, Claw trimmings, horn, musk, or blood. Milk the beasty using a tool. Its loyalty or condition drops. Feed it and its restored back to normal.
Our future gardens might even use the dung. "Uber poop for sale." ...mmm maybe not, needs work.

In one game, Dungeon Siege, the pet donkey carries all your extra stuff. In the latter version this pack animal is a big dinosaur like beast that puts up a decent fight while carrying all you loot.
Both should be easy to do.