The UK government will soon be asking lots of cat and dog owners to collect and send their pet's poo for laboratory testing.
Experts worry that some domestic animals might carry hard-to-treat superbugs - bacteria that have become resistant to common antibiotics.
These can spread to people through close contact with pets, such as kissing and stroking, as well as handling poo, research suggests.
In many cases the bacteria do no harm, but some can lead to serious issues, including bloodstream infections or sepsis.
The world-first study will monitor healthy pets, not just those that are ill.
