--- title: Researcher Says Robot Dogs Could Replace Real Pups | TIME description: A University of Melbourne researcher says live pets will likely prove to be “unsustainable in a growing, urbanized population” canonical: https://time.com/video/firLcJwn/ og:title: Researcher Says Robot Dogs Could Replace Real Pups og:description: A University of Melbourne researcher says live pets will likely prove to be “unsustainable in a growing, urbanized population” og:url: https://time.com/video/firLcJwn/ og:image: https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/firLcJwn/poster.jpg?width=720 og:type: video.other twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Researcher Says Robot Dogs Could Replace Real Pups twitter:description: A University of Melbourne researcher says live pets will likely prove to be “unsustainable in a growing, urbanized population” twitter:image: https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/firLcJwn/poster.jpg?width=720 --- # Researcher Says Robot Dogs Could Replace Real Pups > Sponsored content. 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They are at time.com/newsletters and are separate from a paid subscription. ## Video: Researcher Says Robot Dogs Could Replace Real Pups [Watch (HLS stream): Researcher Says Robot Dogs Could Replace Real Pups](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/firLcJwn.m3u8) (1:55)  _Published 2015-05-12. A University of Melbourne researcher says live pets will likely prove to be “unsustainable in a growing, urbanized population”_ --- Jul 27, 2023 6:14 PM UTC --- ## More From This Series [All Videos](https://time.com/video/) [America’s Pets Are Getting Much Fatter, New Research Finds](/video/lAJJO0Vj/) ### America’s Pets Are Getting Much Fatter, New Research Finds [Berkeley Researchers Wants Robot To Learn Like A Toddler](/video/gDQJEyB0/) ### Berkeley Researchers Wants Robot To Learn Like A Toddler [Researchers Say ‘Recipe’ Could Help Prevent Alzheimer’s, Memory Loss](/video/3xGAnCpx/) ### Researchers Say ‘Recipe’ Could Help Prevent Alzheimer’s, Memory Loss --- ## Transcript Look at these cute pups. Don't you just want to take one of these home and love it forever and ever? Well, according to an Australian researcher, the next generation of pet owners will opt for one of these instead. [ NOISE ] The University of Melbourne Researchers says live pets will likely prove to be quote Unsustainable in a growing urbanized population. And just as digital tech has taken over other parts of our live, ie, communication, social relationships, et cetera, mechanical pets could very well take over the pet dynamic. Make. No matter how creepy and indestructible they seem right now. The paper finds three likely fates for pets around the world and points to the three r's. First, refinement which broadly refers to animals not being used as pets anymore due to humanitarian concern. Second, reduction. Meaning that less people around the world own pets and fluffy becomes more of a luxury that the average person just can't afford. As opposed to now, when according to the ASPCA, almost half of all Americans own a dog. The last R is replace, which is what the paper primarily explores. The idea of replacing the real live animals with robotic ones A traditional Japanese funeral service with a difference the deceased here are all Robot dogs. The paper recites the funerals that were held for some robot dogs Sony discontinued it's line of robotic pets last year the paper also cites the use of pero a Therapeutic robot that looks like a baby seal Claiming pharaoh is proof that robots can without doubt trigger human emotions. But the author also cites his concerns noting that robot pet popularity could make humans less sensitive to the treatment of live animals. 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