THE UK’s LEADING VET CHARITY ADVISES YOU HOW TO INTRODUCE YOUR KIDS TO YOUR PETS
Source: The Mail (Extract)
Posted: June 20, 2020
The arrival of a new pet to your family is always very exciting, with cuddles and fun aplenty.
Family pets can help children develop responsibility and compassion, but taking on a pet is a big decision so it’s important to take time to fully consider all the different factors involved.
PDSA vet Anna Ewers Clark says: “Bringing a new pet home to children is an exciting experience, but it can be a bit overwhelming for the pet with so many things changing when they first come home.
“There are some steps you can take to ensure new pets and children are more likely to live in harmony.”
Before the new arrival, teach your kids how to interact with animals, for instance not pulling on tails or ears, not bothering them when they are sleeping or eating, and letting pets sniff the back of their hand before they stroke them.
Encourage the kids to stay where they are and allow the pet to come to them as they explore.
Explain that shrieks and squeals may scare the pet!
Supervise all interactions very closely for the first few months, but even after this, remember you should never leave a child alone with a pet.
It’s important that all pets get their own space and time to relax away from the family if they’d like to.
Toddlers may be too young to understand how to interact with pets at first, and will need to be reminded not to grab, but they will learn from watching you. Reading stories about animals will also help them to understand that pets think and have feelings.
Get kids involved – having them weigh out the pet’s food, or helping with grooming under your guidance, will help them to learn about how to care for animals responsibly.
With care and patience, your family will have a best friend for life and enjoy all the wonderful benefits that pet ownership can bring.
