Bondi vet wants you to get a pet

HEAVY petting is on TV star Dr Chris Brown's mind and he wants it on our minds as well.

The popular Bondi Vet host and The Living Room regular reckons Australia is not "pet friendly" enough, so he's kick-started a social media campaign to make it easier for us to roll out the furry welcome mat.

He reckons town planning authorities are part of the problem in driving Australia's pet population down.

"For the first time ever, the Australian pet population is in decline," the veterinarian wrote on his Facebook page.

"Most of our cities and towns have now become so non-inclusive of pets, that embarking on a simple walk is more akin to a stroll through a mine-field of potential fines, infringements and criticism.

"There are entire suburbs that simply ban cat ownership."

The #keepauspetfriendly campaign will run across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.