Pope Francis has criticized couples who choose not to have children.

“Too many couples don’t have children because they don’t want any, or they have only one because they don’t want any more,” the 85-year-old told scores of the faithful at a general audience in the Vatican audience hall on Wednesday.

“But they have two dogs, two cats. Dogs and cats take the place of children. Yes, I understand, it makes you laugh, but that is the reality,” the leader of the Catholic Church continued.

Civilization is ageing and lacking humanity because the richness of parenthood is being lost, he warned.

“Those who live in the world and marry must think of having children,” the pontiff stressed. Having children naturally or through adoption is a risk, but not having them is even riskier, he said.

Last week the Pope said that Italy was facing a “demographic winter” when the country’s birth-rate figures which had fallen again, were published.