Martin begins his journey for the first programme in Nepal, where the cow is sacred, and ownership symbolises wealth, strength and abundance. In the countryside virtually every household has a cowshed. Martin meets Shubaka Chowlagi, a farmer who supports his entire family with just eight cows... Written by Christopher Bruce

In the second programme, Martin looks at how pet ownership in Japan is scaling new heights of intensity. For many years there have been more dogs and cats than children. Now more than 24 million cats and dogs share the pavements of Japan's already crowded cities. Martin learns the poignant story behind the statue of a dog called Hachiko in the heart of Tokyo which symbolises just how important dogs have become here, and all over the world. Written by Christopher Bruce