Question: Have you ever had a pet before?
Analysis

1. Answer whether you have ever owned or taken care of a pet in the past. 2. You can also mention what kind of pet it was and briefly describe your experience or feelings about having a pet.

Synonyms
Try these synonyms instead of repeating the question:
  1. had→owned; kept; looked after
  2. pet→animal companion; domestic animal
  3. before→in the past; previously