Did you know that February is Responsible Pet Owners Month? As National Today explained, “Owning a pet can be an amazing and rewarding experience, but it is also a great responsibility.”
The idea for the month was to bring awareness to the importance of spaying/neutering, scheduling vet appointments, microchipping, and taking better care of our furry friends. One question many parents ask is, “Is it responsible to get my child a pet?” and another is, “When is the right time to get a pet?” We’ll explore both of these questions below.
Is it responsible to get my child a pet?
Psychology Today reported that children who have pets are better off than those without them, and “that pets are linked to the psychological well-being of children.” They went onto say that children in families with pets have better general health, are more obedient, more physically active, are less moody, and have fewer behavior and learning problems.
Not only does getting a pet teach your children about how to care for another being, it’s a wonderful opportunity to show them that caring for something means more than just feeling love or affection for it. After all, pets need to be fed, given water, and (depending on the pet) walked and groomed.
As the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry puts it, “Pets can serve different purposes for children:
- They can be safe recipients of secrets and private thoughts–children often talk to their pets, like they do to their stuffed animals.
- They provide lessons about life, including reproduction, birth, illnesses, accidents, death, and bereavement.
- They can help develop responsible behavior in the children who care for them.
- They provide a connection to nature.
- They can teach respect for other living things.”
When is the right time to get a pet?
If you decide to get your child a pet, when is the right time to do so? Care.com recommends that for toddlers ages 1 and 2 you get a pet that they can simply watch and observe. Something small like a fish or turtle that is “safely contained and cared for inside a protective enclosure.” They can watch you interacting with, feeding, and cleaning the cage.
For ages 3 and 4 Care.com recommends something like a guinea pig because “they’re affectionate, like your young child, and not likely to evoke harm.” And, this is now the age you can have them start “helping” you clean the cage and feed the animal.
They recommend not getting a dog or cat for a child until they are at least five. While the parent should still help supervise caring for the pet, this is when they can help even more with the responsibilities of having a pet. As they get older, you can hand over the reins completely, but it’s important to keep in mind that you’ll have to assist them quite a bit for many years.
Here are some additional resources I recommend you reading to learn more about children and pets:
- American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry on Pets and Children
- The Benefits of Pets
- 10 Reasons Pets Are Good for Kids
- ASPCA on Dogs and Babies
- ASPCA on Cats and Babies
- A Common Bond: Maltreated Children and Animals in the Home – Guidelines for Practice and Policy