While research has demonstrated the potential for social robots as companions in care homes, for targeted specialized therapies (e.g., children on the autism spectrum) or uses in clinical practice (e.g., to increase comfort or reduce pain), social robotic pets for the general public have not yet even been minimally successful. Despite ongoing laboratory success of social robots for shaping mood, building rapport and creating empathy, this has not translated to actual robot pets supporting people in their homes. In this paper, we highlight this untapped potential for domestic robots to discuss some of the underlying issues behind acceptance, describe a simple agenda to design novel domestic robots, and present our initial plans to understand social robot acceptance and promote them to be domestic companions as pets.
