People who get dogs, cats instead of kids are selfish: Pope Francis

Pope Francis has angered the world's childless dog and cat lovers by saying that individuals who substitute pets for children are "selfish."

During a general audience on Wednesday at the Vatican, Francis said that in society, dogs "sometimes take the place of children."

"We witness a type of selfishness nowadays," the pope said. "We've noticed that some individuals don't want to start a family.

"They have one and that's it sometimes, but they have dogs and cats who stand in for children.This may make some people chuckle, but it's the truth."

"It is a denial of paternity and motherhood and weakens us, takes away our humanity," said the head of the world's 1.3 billion Catholics.

As a result, "civilisation becomes old without humanity," the pontiff remarked at the Paul VI Hall, "since we lose the richness of fatherhood and motherhood, and it is the country that suffers."

Francis has been pictured touching dogs, allowing a young lamb to be thrown over his shoulders on the occasion of the Epiphany in 2014, and even petting a tiger and a baby panther.

However, unlike his predecessor, Benedict XVI, who loved cats, Francis is not known to keep a pet at the Vatican.

The 85-year-old told the daily Il Messaggero in 2014 that having dogs instead of children was "another phenomenon of cultural degradation," and that having emotional relationships with pets was "easier" than having "complicated" relationships with parents and children.

On Wednesday, he encouraged couples who are unable to have children biologically to explore adoption, saying that they should "not be afraid" to start a family.

"Having a child is always risky, but not having a child, denying paternity, is more riskier," he stated.

He described adoption as "one of the purest kinds of love, as well as paternity and motherhood." "How many youngsters are waiting for someone to look after them around the world?"