Fewer families are keeping domestic pets because of the pressures of modern life. With both parents working full time in many cases and families taking more foreign holidays it's leaving less time to look after a pet. Children are also showing less interest, preferring to play on their computers. Is the family pet a dying breed and if it is, does it matter?
Jane Worsley went to meet 7 year old Ellie, and 6 year old twins, Robert and Phoebe and their growing assortment of animals to find out why they believe pets in a family are so important.
Jenni is joined in the studio to discuss the pros and cons of owning a pet with Dr June McNicholas, a health psychologist and specialist in animal therapy and Glaswegian Sikh comedian, Hardeep Singh Kohli.
Disclaimer The BBC is not responsible for the content of external websites.