A house hippo is a fictitious species of hippopotamus that was the subject of a Canadian television public service announcement (PSA) produced by Concerned Childrens Advertisers in May 1999. The PSA was reintroduced by MediaSmarts in 2019 to educate children about critical thinking with regard to what they see in television advertising, and remind them that "its good to think about what youre watching on TV, and ask questions". The PSA describes the behavior of the "North American house hippo", a fictional animal found "throughout Canada, and the eastern United States". The animal is described as sleeping for 16 hours per day, and enjoying a diet of raisins, chips, and "crumbs from peanut butter on toast". The hippo is shown foraging in a kitchen, confronting a house cat, and making a nest from lost mittens to go to sleep.

Despite not being real in any way, some millennial home buyers are perceiving house hippos as a legitimate pest, such as mice or bed bugs. However, a house hippo can also refer to any hippo that one brings into their home, such as a ceramic or stone hippo.