In the interests of the pet-loving segment of the gaming community, EA and Maxis have come up with The Sims 2 Pets. The game allows players to create pets for their Sims. The Create-a-Pet system gives players the chance to play God on a virtual, and decidedly four-legged, scale. With it, players can choose breeds to mix and match to create the perfect dog or cat for their Sims.

For the DS version of the game, players will be granted the "Manage a Pet care center" feature, which allows you to pamper, preen, and nurse your pet at your very own Pet care facility.

Here are a few screenshots of the DS version of The Sims 2 Pets.

The Sims 2 Pets will hit shelves all over the US on October 02, 2006. DS owners will have to wait a few more days though, as The Sims 2 Pets is set to hit the DS on October 17, 2006