• Babies
• Building a Family
• Children
• General Parenting
• Newborns
• Teenagers
• Toddlers
• Pregnancy

Pets in the family

Pets and children are good for each other. Owning a pet can be fun for you and your child. When the time comes to choose a pet, ask your local vet. Looking after a very young pet and its feeding and training program can be time consuming and expensive. Your vet can help you make the right choice to suit your situation.

The benefits of pets

Research has shown that children who keep and look after pets obtain many benefits:

• Their immune system may be stronger.
• They will get more physical activity, leading to better physical health.
• They can develop empathy.
• It will help their self-esteem and help them cope better with grief and stress.
• They are likely to be less lonely with an animal as a companion.
• They will build better social skills.

Pets and pregnancy

If you are pregnant and thinking about getting a pet, it is best to wait until the family settles down.

Toxoplasmosis is an infection that can cause serious problems in pregnancy. It is caused by a common parasite that can be found in soil or cat litter that is contaminated with infected cat faeces (poo). To reduce the risk of infection, do not handle kitty litter or come into contact with droppings. It is best to ask someone else to change the kitty litter. If this isn’t possible, wear gloves and wash your hands thoroughly afterwards.

If you are pregnant and have a dog, try to make sure it can walk quietly on a lead. This will make walking with a pram relaxed and enjoyable instead of a constant battle. Consider training the dog to avoid behaviour like jumping or barking. Teach your dog well before the baby arrives if any areas are going to be off limits, such as the baby’s room or change table. Exercise your dog regularly to stop it getting bored. Bored dogs can mean trouble, especially if they’re used to a more active lifestyle. Regular attention will reduce the possibility of jealousy problems.

Think about how you are going to care for your pet once the baby arrives. Animals are sensitive to changes in the family . They read our body language so will be aware that something is happening. Thinking about it in advance might help.

Pets and babies

If you have both a baby and pets, here are some basic rules to follow:

• Never leave the cot or bassinet uncovered where a cat or other pet can find its way to the sleeping baby.
• Never leave your baby or toddler alone with the family pet. Toddlers might unintentionally be rough and the pet might fight back by biting or scratching. Children under 7 should never be left unsupervised with a pet.
• Teach your child not to share food with pets.

Teaching children about pets

Young children might love animals, but they won’t necessarily know how to look after them unless you teach them.

Teach them to be gentle with pets. If they are gentle with pets, the pet should be gentle in return. Teach them when to avoid approaching an animal when it is sleeping, frightened or angry. It is also good to teach your child to always ask before patting a dog.

When your child is old enough, encourage them to take part in caring for pets, like walking the dog, cleaning the bird cage or feeding the rabbit.

Teach your child not to allow pets to lick their faces and to wash their hands before eating if they’ve been playing with pets.

Illnesses from pets

Children can get some illnesses and health problems from pets, such as ringworm, fleabites and hydatid disease (from tapeworm), which can cause liver problems. Here are some tips on how to make this less likely:

• Worm cats every 2 to 6 months. Treat dogs every 3 months with an all-worm tablet to control hydatids.
• Keep your pet free of fleas with collars, shampoos, powders or sprays.
• Feed pets cooked (not raw) food.
• Don’t allow your dog to roam the streets.
• Wash hands between touching animals and handling food and keep separate dishes for animals.
• Clear up after the dog in the garden — at least once a week.
• Keep pets off beds.
• Don’t allow pets to lick your child’s face.
• Cover sandpits when not in use to prevent pets from soiling in the sand.

Sick pets

See a vet if your pet is sick. The vet should be able to tell you if your pet has an illness that could be caught by a child and how to manage that.

Most of the serious infections that pets can get are not passed on to humans.

Animals and allergies

Allergies to pets are common. They are triggered by the sebaceous glands in cats’ skin or by dogs’ saliva. Even if you remove the animal, these allergens can remain in a house for up to 6 months. If your child is allergic to an animal, you may have to find a new home for the pet. Your vet will be able to answer your questions about animals and how they can share your home.