Comparisons between dogs and children are nothing new. Get a dog as a warm-up before kids. Get a dog to distract the kids. Never work with either in the movies. Yet in America, many women are increasingly choosing pets over parenthood, favouring the tinier breeds.

Dubai's ban on animals using public transport has led a British expat, Arthur Obyrne, to start a business that aims to fix this inconvenience. After growing tired of friends asking him for lifts to and from the vet, he set up Pet Taxi – which provides animal transport.

City rental properties often have strict policies against pets. Seeing an opportunity to unite cat-lovers with their feline friends while supporting the local community, Lauren Pears is opening Lady Dinah’s Cat Emporium: London’s first cat café.

From being accustomed to renting our homes, and that power drill you only need once, we now don’t mind renting a nail polish that someone else has already had their hands on, or not owning our washing machine. But why aren’t people so keen to own material possessions anymore?