BRINGING A NEW PET INTO THE FAMILY CAN BE AN EXCITING TIME FOR BOTH PARENTS AND CHILDREN. BUT IT ALSO REQUIRES CAREFUL PLANNING AND SOME HARD WORK TO MAKE SURE THE CHILDREN ARE SAFE AND THE PETS ARE HAPPY.
Having a pet can be incredibly beneficial for children, as they can build a close relationship with the pet and can learn many life lessons from them.
However, bringing a new pet into the family isn’t without its dangers.
Because of this, it is important for children to be taught how to behave safely around animals, and how to prevent any problems that can arise.
“A lot of time and effort need to be put into your pet when you first get it, as well as your children, to make sure they are safe around them,” Katie Singleton-Foley, clinical coordinator of Fur Life Vet Clinic, said.
According to the Department of Health, children five years or younger are at the greatest risk of being injured by their family’s dog or a friend’s dog.
These incidents are usually triggered by the child’s interaction with the dog during play, or when the dog is eating or sleeping.
“It’s important to realise that any dog can bite a child,” Katie said.
“If your child has been bitten, there are few things you should do.
“The first step is to calm your child. You then need to check to see if the skin has been broken.
“If the skin has been broken, then you need to wash it under cold water and disinfect it.
“Take them to a doctor if their skin is broken, and if flesh has been bitten off, call an ambulance.
“It’s also really important that you do not give your child and food or water.”
The same steps should be followed if your child has been bitten or scratched by a cat, as cats carry bacteria on their teeth and claws.
To try and reduce the chances of your child being bitten or scratched by your pet, Katie said you should teach your children the following lessons.
“Children need to be taught to treat animals gently and calmly,” she said.
“You should always keep a close eye on your child when they are around animals, and if this isn’t possible, you should separate them.
“Children also need to learn to not disturb an animal when they are sleeping or eating food.”
If your pet does have behavioural problems, the best course of action is to take them to a specialist who can help.
“As soon as you start to notice a pattern of behaviour — whether it be biting, scratching, growling — it’s important you take them to either a vet, a behavioural specialist, or to puppy school so that you can fix it,” Katie said.
She said children needed to be included during the early social interactions, to make sure the pets feel comfortable around them.
“Children should go with the parents to puppy school, and to the dog park, and visits to friends’ houses to show the new puppy or pet that they are to be trusted and not harmed.”
While all these options are available to help calm your new pet down, and to train out their bad habits and behaviour, Katie said serious consideration needed go into your choice of pet, and how it will suit your lifestyle.
“A lot of thought needs to go into choosing a pet.
“You shouldn’t just be choosing one because it’s cute, it needs to fit in with your lifestyle.
“If you’ve got children, you should be looking for a dog that is more placid or is usually safe around children.
“Also, you need to consider where you’re living, and how you are, because all of these factors can influence a pet’s behaviour.
“At the end of the day, the best way to make sure your pet is safe around your kids is to make sure they are well trained, and any behavioural problems are addressed immediately.”
27°C