If you can call the fish in your pond and racing pigeons pets, that is. According to Elsevier, the Dutch have the following pets:

9.6 million pond fish

6.6 million aquarium fish

5 million racing pigeons

2.9 million cats

2 million birds

1.5 million dogs

900,000 rabbits

900,000 rodents

300,000 reptiles

In 2913, the Dutch government published new rules listing mammals which are suitable to keep as pets. The approved list contains animals such as dogs, cats, hamsters, mink and – bizarrely – water buffalo. A second list containing animals which can be kept under specific conditions includes ferrets, varieties of dwarf hamster and wallabies. Mammals not on either list – like lions – may not be kept at all.