London - We love them because they are cute, affectionate and have a seemingly limitless capacity to make us smile.
So it is no surprise pets feature heavily in the photographs we take – and the results are often hilarious.
If a snap of a border collie being mesmerised by a soap bubble doesn’t make you laugh, how about a cat seeming to whisper in the ear of a dog?
Then there is the selfie by Georgie Bain of Aberdeen, in which she mimics her horse as it laughs, or a dog with a manic expression digging on a windswept beach.
The images are all finalists in a special category in this year’s Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards that gives proud pet owners from around the world the chance to show off their quirky animals.
One of the organisers, photographer Tom Sullam said: "We want primarily a laugh out loud moment. The pictures that make us laugh the most are the ones that make us appreciate pets the most." Winners will be announced next month.