Choosing animals instead of babies has been suggested as ‘selfish’ by the Pope.
During a general audience at the Vatican in Rome, Pope Francis spoke of what he described as a ‘demographic winter’.
He explained that people without children are 'diminished' and 'it takes away our humanity.'
During the pontiff's speech, he said: “Many couples do not have children because they do not want to, or they have just one – but they have two dogs, two cats…
“Yes, dogs and cats take the place of children.
”Yes, it’s funny, I understand, but it is the reality and this denial of fatherhood or motherhood diminishes us, it takes away our humanity.
“And in this way civilization becomes aged and without humanity, because it loses the richness of fatherhood and motherhood.”