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.

Pets have long been seen as family members, but does that mean they should be eating like one? FreshPet is just one of a large number of companies targeting these pampered pets’ 'parents' with high quality human-grade dog and cat food products fresh from the fridge.