Since the first Jurassic Park film hit theaters back in 1993, the franchise has sparked the imaginations of fans. Jurassic World: Dominion was released in June 2022, and the movie integrated legacy characters Alan Grant, Dr. Ellie Sattler, and even Ian Malcolm back into the story.
From man-eating monsters to docile herbivores, the list of dinosaurs created by InGen has continued to grow over the years. What started with only 15 species quickly became so much more after the geneticists began cloning in secret on a separate island. Then, when the Masrani Global Corporation got onboard and hired Dr. Henry Wu, the continuation of genetically engineered hybrids continued. While most of the creatures created for Jurassic Park/World are extremely dangerous, there are a few that could make interesting household companions with the proper training.
Updated on June 13th, 2022 by Amanda Bruce: With the release of Jurassic World: Dominion and the addition of the animated Camp Cretaceous to the franchise, there are even more prehistoric creatures on the screen. Plenty of fans of the movies have wondered just how the world would be different if dinosaurs did exist in the modern-day – and whether any could be trained to keep around the house. Particular care would have to be taken with a lot of these creatures, but they would certainly make for some interesting animal companions.
Triceratops
One of the most often remembered scenes in Jurassic Park is Dr. Ellie Sattler trying to figure out what is making the Triceratops at the park sick. The dinosaurs might be ill, and sedated, but they allow humans to interact with them in a docile way. They were even used in Jurassic World’s petting zoo with juveniles used to give rides to children.
No matter how docile they can be, however, triceratops can get weigh up to 26,000 pounds and be nearly ten feet tall. That makes for one massive herbivore. It wouldn’t be unlike having an elephant or a rhinoceros hanging out in the backyard. The dinosaur could find a happy life on a large piece of property, but they could definitely still be dangerous.
Lystrosaurus
Very similar in size and shape to the Triceratops, Lystrosaurus makes its big-screen appearance in Jurassic World: Dominion. It’s one of the many dinosaurs sold on the black market as the world finds a way to make a lot of money off of prehistoric creatures.
Lystrosaurus is seen in the movie as an animal not much larger than the average dog in a cage, but it can grow up to eight feet long, so a lot of open space for grazing would be necessary for it. It might not love to be petted, but it would certainly enjoy the freedom of a ranch or a farm.
Smilodon
Technically not a dinosaur, Smilodon is still a prehistoric creature. More specifically, it’s a prehistoric big cat featured in Camp Cretaceous rather than the Jurassic movies. (A stuffed animal version of a Smilodon does appear in the gift shop in Jurassic Park though.) The animated series does a great job at demonstrating just how dangerous the Smilodon is as it tracks and goes after multiple characters in the series, but that’s also true of big cats in the real world who are able to live alongside humans in big cat sanctuaries.
Smilodons only grow to be a few feet long, but they can weigh up to 950 pounds, which is a lot of weight behind their teeth and claws. Only someone who has experience around big cats would be able to keep one as a pet, which is why living on a sanctuary with other big cats would likely be the best place for it.
Compsognathus
First seen in The Lost World: Jurassic Park – which is the second film in the franchise – the Compsognathus is a petite dinosaur that only grows up to 12-inches tall. Weighing up to 7.7 lbs, it is approximately the size of a house cat. Technically classified as a carnivore, it is more of a scavenger than anything else.
In a group, these little creatures can be extremely dangerous. They attack a young girl at the beginning of the film – almost killing her. While disturbing, that scene was far from one of the scariest moments from the franchise. However, one of these dinosaurs wouldn’t be able to cause much damage. If it were raised from a hatchling, it may make a fairly good pet.
Gallimimus
The Gallimimus is first seen in the original Jurassic Park film when Alan, Lex, and Tim are fleeing from the rogue Tyrannosaurus Rex. Growing over 6-feet tall and weighing almost 1,000 lbs, these creatures are similar to prehistoric ostriches.
In the franchise, they are classified as an herbivore, but in reality, they were omnivores. Since large modern-day birds – like ostriches and emus – are domesticated, there is no reason to think that the Gallimimus couldn’t also become docile. While they probably wouldn’t be an indoor pet, they could certainly live out a cushy life on a ranch or farm.
Pteranodon
More commonly known as the Pterodactyl, the Pteranodon being kept as a pet might be a bit shocking for some fans. This flying carnivore has a wingspan of up to 33-feet, and it did not seem very welcoming to humans during the incident on Isla Sorna in Jurassic Park III.
However, many modern-day predatory birds are kept as pets. There is even an entire hunting culture surrounding the use of falcons and hawks all around the world. If a Pteranodon were raised from the egg and trained properly, it could be kept as an exotic pet by an experienced falconer.
Microceratus
A small horned herbivore that would make a fantastic house pet is the Microceratus. Growing up to 2.5-feet in length and weighing about 14 lbs, it is approximately the size of a small dog or large cat. They are equipped with sharp beaks to rip off leaves, so they would probably do well on a rabbit food diet with raw greens and vegetables mixed in.
These interesting dinosaurs have yet to be shown in the Jurassic Park films. They were intended to make their first on-screen appearance in Jurassic World, but the scene was eventually cut. Fans thought they would appear in Dominion as well, but the spotlight on the black market trade in the movie was on Triceratops instead.
Pachycephalosaurus
Nicknamed “Friar Tuck” in The Lost World: Jurassic Park, the Pachycephalosaurus is another dinosaur that could potentially be a good pet. As an herbivore, the owner wouldn’t have to worry about being eaten. However, this creature can grow up to 6-feet tall and weigh almost 1,000 lbs. It is also equipped with a hard, domed head that is used as a battering ram. This makes it one of the most powerful Jurassic Park dinosaurs.
Similar to the modern-day bighorn sheep, it has the ability to do some serious damage when provoked. A juvenile is seen in the film slamming its head into the side of an SUV and making a massive dent while being hunted. However, if treated kindly, there is no reason to assume that it would ever intentionally hurt someone.
Parasaurolophus
Another large herbivore that could be a good pet is the Parasaurolophus. Although it can grow up to 13-feet tall and weigh around 10,000 lbs, it is the same species as Ducky from The Land Before Time series. Equipped with a crest on top of its head that may have been used as a snorkel, this giant lizard would have a blast on a farm with access to a lake.
The Parasaurolophus is depicted in all of the movies. During the hunt and capture scene of The Lost World: Jurassic Park, it was one of the dinosaurs that was taken by the InGen hunting party. As a herd animal, it is also seen living peacefully alongside many other herbivore species.
Velociraptor
Putting controversy aside, the Velociraptor has already proven itself to be a good animal companion. However, this is the type of animal that would only be docile with one or two people. They are given quite a bit of screen time in all five films, and they are typically shown as villains. However, they are incredibly smart, which leads to their ability to be trained by Owen Grady in Jurassic World.
As pack hunters, the raptors need an alpha to lead the group. If they are raised from an egg by someone like Owen, they could be very loyal – and protective – pets. However, the owner will never be able to have guests in the house.
Troodon
Another dinosaur that was not shown in the films but is part of InGen’s list of secret creations is the Troodon. Roughly the same size as the Gallimimus, it is similar to the ostriches of today. The main difference is that it had a lot of tiny teeth, classifying it as an omnivore.
The animal hasn’t appeared in movies but has in video games. According to Jurassic Park lore, the Troodons that were created for the park were supposed to be terminated. However, an unnamed employee hid them until the Dennis Nedry incident released all of the dinosaurs in the park. What happened to the species after that is unclear, but if someone thought they were worth protecting, then they would probably make good pets.
Ankylosaurus
Making its first appearance in Jurassic Park III and showing up in both Jurassic World films, the Ankylosaurus is another herbivore that could make a good pet. They can weigh between 8,000 and 17,000 lbs, which would make them kinda like a massive armored cow. Every part of their body is covered in armor including their eyelids. Somewhat similar to a modern-day rhinoceros, they are shown as gentle giants.
They do, however, have a clubbed tail that could be deadly. One unlucky Ankylosaurus is seen in Jurassic World attempting to fight off the Indominus Rex. While it does get a hit in, its defenses prove to be lacking against the hybrid predator.
Brachiosaurus
For people who own a lot of land, the Brachiosaurus would make the ultimate dinosaur pet. As one of the most well-known species from the prehistoric period, this gigantic animal can grow up to 40-feet tall and weigh around 128,000 lbs. Featuring an extremely long neck to reach the tops of trees, it can be seen as a massive giraffe.
Again, this species is a gentle giant. The only thing a human owner would have to worry about is being stepped on. Other than that, this creature would be a beauty to behold every morning on an expansive farm.
