In Western and East Asian societies alike, birth rates are dropping while pet ownership continues to ramp up—suggesting that fur babies may be becoming a more desirable alternatives to human ones.

We sat down with child-free pet parents, ethologist Dr. Eniko Kubinyi, and the cofounder of Dog Ppl to explore these diverging trends and the cultural transformation behind it.

Are pets simply filling the void left by babies? Or is this a sign of something deeper—a cultural redefinition of what it means to nurture, connect, and build a family in the 21st century?

Edge: Connection Quest