What kind of features are planned for dogs/other pets? A few thoughts just on how dogs could be beneficial--and thus worth keeping around--dawned on me as I started this newest version. Granted, there are more important gameplay elements worth exploring (and taking time coding), but this could add a bit more risk vs. reward gameplay.
--Dogs as detectors. Depending on how detailed you want to get with the system (perhaps the strength of the bond with your dog, how rested it's been, fed, etc.), some set of variables influences the dog's perception and ability to detect enemies and alert the player through specific behaviors. Whining= it smells/hears zombies. Growling=wolves, bears, animals detected. Runs off/refuses to follow=something bad; hulks, necros, etc. Sniffing the ground intently, pulling at its leash= prey animals detected.
--Dogs as alarms. As a result of their detecting, their alerts can wake a player.
--Dogs as light pack carriers. Similar to the dawn of the dead remake. Maybe patch together some modifications to a cargo vest, crafting a harness and giving the dog some small carrying power and lightening your load.
--Dogs as bait. Toss a foodstuff or specific item onto a tile (chew toy, etc.), possibly luring zombies toward it. Either pick em off or sacrifice your pet to live to fight another day.
Risk vs. reward:
They're already not durable. Keeping them alive could be a worthy challenge (possibly made easier if you could keep them on a leash which you could carry or use to tether them to something).
--Barking. Depending on the system used, negative variables (hunger, low bonding/player skill/training, whatever) could increase the chance that they bark, increasing your noise signature.
--Morale mod. Keep em around, receive a bonus to morale (if the character is bonded/in a mental or physical state to care that the dog's around). If bonded and they die, take a morale hit.
--Food/thirst/sleep. Another mouth to feed and body to shelter. If quite hungry/thirsty, their ability to act as an alarm can disrupt your sleep.
As a player creation option, a bonded pet or trained one or something like that could come at the cost of character points. Or you could just choose not to start with a dog and not bother with it or, using the new taming items, seek to utilize a pet later on in the game.