Players should be able to cuddle or play with their pets in order to increase their pets' happiness. Perhaps this can raise community as well at a significantly reduced rate, so that when a player is stranded in a far off place they can play with their pet for half an hour if they don't feel like going back to town.
Additionally, this will give chronic drunks something to do other than stumble around the garden, or strum until their hands fall off.
If you want to intentionally make things difficult, you can require players to equip a pet charm in their off hand slot in order to play with their pet.