I'll pass on this furry friend

I am very happy in my decision not to have any pets while I'm living in this apartment.  Seeing neighbors taking their dogs out for walks on these cold days assures me that I don't want a dog and living in a fur-free, litter-box free environment reassures me that I don't want a cat.  I don't want a bird, hamster or fish either, but today a friend told me about a new kind of pet.  He assures me this is true.  There are robot pets available for sale now (no information on prices) that he says are being used in nursing homes and hospitals.  They are covered in faux fur, soft and warm to the touch and they purr or make appropriate doggy noises and will curl up with you, sleep with you, sit on your lap.  They never need to be taken for walks or to the vet.  I presume you plug them in to charge their batteries and just leave them on a shelf when you don't want to be bothered. This raises the question, if I don't want a real pet, why would I want a fake one?  It just doesn't seem right somehow. I would kind of like to see one though, just out of curiosity.