Some Thoughts to Consider

• Pets and children both need parenting. Both need to learn how to treat each other. Both need supervision and limits to their behavior. Children will need an adult’s help training their pet.
  
• A pet is ultimately the responsibility of the adult, not the child.
  
• Take an active role in teaching children how to pet and properly hold or carry a pet. It may be safer for young children not to carry a small kitten or puppy, and not to be the only person holding an adult dog’s leash.
  
• Discourage challenge games such as tug-of-war, keep-away and wrestling matches with dogs. Encourage fetching games. Discourage using fingers, hands and feet as play toys and objects for cats and dogs to attack. Encourage cats to play with dangling toys and toys they can chase and bat about.
  
• Do not ignore warning signs from the pet such as hissing, growling or running away from you or your child.
  
• Be sure the pet has a safe place to retreat to where it can rest and have quiet time away from active, playful children. This can also be used as a “time out” place for pets who become overly-excited and rough when playing.
  
• Small breeds of dogs, puppies and kittens are not always the best choice for young children. A larger, adult dog or cat may be better able to tolerate lots of active playing and handling.
• Contrary to popular myth, rabbits are not ideal pets for children. They generally do not enjoy being picked up and carried around; they are easily frightened by the naturally rambunctious behavior of children; and they are easily injured. Children also tend to lose interest in them quickly. Rabbits can make wonderful family pets, though, so long as adults carefully supervise their children's interaction with them and assume the primary responsibility for their care. On the problem of giving live rabbits as Easter presents, see the "Make Mine Chocolate!" website.
  
• Do not allow your dog to chase your children and train your children to never run from a dog. Dogs instinctively chase, and a child running and screaming can prompt a predator/prey instinctive response.