This work has a double focus. First, considerable research has centered on designing computer tools and interfaces, "smart rooms," and computer-based interactive systems for human adults and children, but few people realize the potential for extending this work to include animals. After many years of studying the intelligence of animals, we believe that such an extension to the animal kingdom is not only justified, but viable. Toward this end, we have been designing "Pet Projects," a collection of computer-based tools to enhance pet-human interactions and the lives of pet animals. Second, these tools can be used to explore further the cognitive abilities of animals. Such work is important because understanding how creatures with brains so different from humans can process information can help us design better artificial learning systems.