Is It the Right Time to Get a Pet for My Child?

by Beth Karzes

Animals in the home can be great companions for children, yet we as parents need to consistently model to our children the way to be compassionate, patient, safe, and responsible caregivers of our animal companions. Ultimately we are the ones who are responsible for our animal companions.

Your child may be ready to share his home with an animal when he can discern that an animal companion is not a toy or does not exist for his entertainment, but has needs like sleep, rest, her own quiet space, gentle affection, medical attention, grooming, and daily exercise.

Every child is different but generally when they become 10 to 12 years of age they have the capacity to understand long term commitments, daily and weekly time requirements, patience and calm gentleness that animals need to feel safe and well cared for in their homes. If your child is timid, nervous, or just plain scared of animals or a particular species, it is best not to force him to adjust to an animal. Instead wait until your child is confident, calm around animals, and has a natural healthy eagerness to learn about them by demonstrating patience and empathy.

When the pet arrives, you as the parent need to teach your children to walk, feed, and clean up after her without being asked. When your child gets distracted by life, you need to be a positive role model and invite your child to join you in feeding, grooming, cleaning, and exercising the family’s pet. The real question for parents is: “Am I ready to bring an animal into my family’s home?” not “Is it the right time to get a pet for my child?”

Take into consideration your children’s maturity and the household’s outside commitments. If your family already feels overwhelmed with busy work and family schedules, adding an animal companion may not be the right choice for now. Pets require ongoing time and financial commitments. Animal shelters around the country know firsthand how quickly companion animals can become burdens to families who don’t have enough time for training and exercise. Unfortunately animals are too often returned to animal shelters for just this reason.

If your family can provide the time and commitment required for your pet then she will be a wonderful addition to your home. Pets offer friendship to family members by sharing their sense of peace, joy, comfort, and companionship. A companion animal can be your child’s best friend and confidant, especially if your child observes you enjoying a valuable relationship with the pet. Animals require children to practice patience and gentleness, which ultimately helps them develop a deep reverence and compassion for all living beings.

Don’t pick the pet first

Do you work long hours? Do your children have after school activities? Does the family travel frequently? Do your children often have friends visit? How you answer these questions will help you determine which pet will fit best in your home. For example, if you work long hours and the children are busy with after school activities, then a puppy may not be the best choice. Instead, an adult cat or breed of dog who requires less activity might be a better match.

If you have very young children in your home, you will need to supervise interaction between them and your pets at all times. The animals are the ones that usually suffer the ill consequences if left to protect themselves from unintentional mistreatment. Many animal shelters and adoption centers do not adopt puppies to families with children five years of age or younger because young children are unpredictable, loud, and exude a kinetic energy most adults wish they still possessed. This type of energy can be extremely stressful for a pet. Companion animals need mature, responsible humans who can read animal body language and who will look out for their safety, health, and well being.

Children need to be taught not to roughhouse with any animal. Such activity can over stimulate animals to the point that cats become too frisky and scratch and bite, and dogs’ play becomes too rough and unmanageable.

Lessons animals teach children

Sharing your home with animals causes you to focus on their needs. When you go on vacation, you not only need to arrange for transportation and lodging, but you also need to arrange for the care of your dog by a pet sitter, dog walker, neighbor, or boarding facility. Also, if your pet happens to get sick or injured on a weekend or a holiday, you need to take them to a 24-hour veterinary hospital. Living with animals is a constant test of our commitment to them, and a significant lesson for your children, especially as time goes on.

It is always best to learn about the type of animal you are considering adopting as you begin your search. Visit your local library, bookstore, Humane Society, and well respected websites to get the kind of information that will help you choose the type of pet who will be best for your family and the pet himself. For example if you are thinking about adopting a rabbit, your local House Rabbit Society is an excellent resource of information.

If you enjoy spending time with and caring for your pets, then your child will learn that caring for animals is relaxing, nurturing, and healthy for the soul. Be patient with your children as you mentor them to be loving and responsible companions to their pets.

Remember, if you, the parent enjoy spending time and caring for your companion animals then your child will learn that caring of animals is relaxing, nurturing and healthy for the soul by watching you find joy, solace and love forming a treasured friendship with your animal companion. Your child will need you to be patient with them as you steward them about animal care and responsibility through their childhood and adolescence.