Kids and pets can be a good mix if time is right
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BY BOB REEVES / Lincoln Journal Star
Brian McCormick, manager of The Pet Ark, often has kids come into the shop with their parents all excited about wanting a pet.
“If the child is 5 years old or younger, I always tell the parents, ‘You must understand that this will be your pet. The child will help you as much as he or she can, but you’ll be the one feeding, cleaning and taking care of this animal.’”
Frequently, he said, the parent says, “I never thought of that.” And sometimes they walk out of the store empty-handed, not wanting to take on all that extra work.
But McCormick went on to say that introducing a young child to a pet can be a valuable learning experience, and fun for parents and children alike. If you do it right.
One of the first decisions, he said, is to pick the right pet for the child’s age and interests.
He noted that many children today want to adopt a reptile — a snake, iguana or other kind of lizard — because they’ve seen “The Crocodile Hunter” or other exotic animal shows on TV.
But reptiles aren’t the most cuddly of companions, and some kinds — such as snakes and iguanas — can grow to rather enormous size and lose their cuteness.
“I hate to see people bring an animal back after two months,” he said. “It’s very stressful to the animal.”
It also teaches children the wrong lesson — that if they lose interest in a pet they can get rid of it, like a worn-out toy.
“People should never buy pets impulsively,” McCormick said.
Some of the best pets for young children are small rodents, such as hamsters, gerbils or even small rats. But once again, parents need to realize that they will be the primary caregivers.
“A lot of times Mom is scared of the hamster, because it looks like a big mouse,” he said. “I say, ‘Ma’am, you’re going to have to help with this.’”
Local 4-H leaders agreed that parents need to be closely involved with the selection of pets for children, and realize that it takes time for both the child and the pet to learn how to handle the new relationship.
“Parental involvement is essential,” said Ken Majors, who works with a 4-H committee to encourage children to raise and show small animals, such as rabbits and guinea pigs.
Parents must teach children how to feed and water the animal and clean its litter box or cage, he said. “It doesn’t matter what kind of animal it is, it has to be taken care of at least twice a day. If the child is going to have responsibility for the animal, it’s important to learn to do it properly.”
How much responsibility children can assume for pet care depends on the type of animal, the child’s age and the child’s interests and abilities.
“Even very young children (age 3 or younger) can pet and groom animals. They can learn to use a brush.”
Young children can learn to put food and water into a small animal’s cage. Cats require a little more care, and dogs have to be walked (and scooped up after) and often are too big for small children to handle. “But children can learn a lot from taking care of an animal in a cage,” Majors said.
Nicole Pedersen, 17, remembers at age 4 brushing the family cat, Sidney, and helping feed him. By age 8 she was showing Sidney in 4-H competitions, which involved extensive preparation, including giving the cat a bath, clipping his claws and cleaning his eyes and ears.
Sidney died several years ago but Nicole has continued showing the family’s Maine coon cat, Mostar, in 4-H judging.
Her brother, Kyle, 14, shares his bedroom with Peter the parakeet, who loves to perch on his shoulder and give him kisses. Kyle does all the care for the bird, including clipping his wing feathers, and has shown him in 4-H as well.
This year, Nicole showed the family’s latest addition, an Ocicat kitten named Fitzroy. She shares her room with Iggy the green iguana, Tanya the Russian tortoise and Favio the hedgehog, and has shown them all competitively. The kids also take care of several aquariums with both tropical and fresh-water fish.
The rule in the Pedersen household is, any pet is OK if you make a commitment to care for it, said mom Jean Pedersen. She also expects the kids to do 4-H projects with their pets, because they learn so much in the process.
“There’s no getting out of a pet project,” she said. “If you’re going to do a pet, it’s a lifelong thing.” Of course, she means the life of the pet, but in the case of Tanya the tortoise, who has an expected lifespan of more than 100 years, the commitment could extend to Nicole’s great-grandchildren.
Sarah Morton, who leads a 4-H club that specializes in small animals, noted that a child has to be 8 to show animals in regular 4-H events, but children as young as 5 can enter the Pee Wee showmanship division.
Morton let her own children start feeding and watering cats, dogs and other pets at age 5 or even younger. “I was never opposed to any animal they wanted to get, but they had to take care of it.”
Living on an acreage with farm animals as well as dogs and cats, her children naturally assumed more animal-care responsibilities as they got older. “I generally didn’t feed my kids breakfast until they went out and did the animal chores,” she said.
Morton said she would encourage parents to start small — maybe with a rabbit or hamster. “Let them prove they can take care of that animal before they move on to something else.”
Caring for an animal teaches lessons that children can’t learn from other types of chores, she said. “They learn that someone else is relying on them. If you don’t take out the garbage, it doesn’t hurt anybody, but if you don’t feed an animal it’s going to go hungry all day.”
If a child doesn’t follow through on caring for an animal, the parents may decide to take over the care themselves, or maybe even give the animal to another family that will care for it.
“It’s not wrong for parents to take the responsibility on themselves, but what does that teach the child?” Morton said. “If the child makes a commitment, they need to follow through.”
Reach Bob Reeves at 473-7212 or at breeves@journalstar.com.
Is your child old
enough for a pet?
* Under 3 — Focus on introducing your baby/toddler to your current pets. It is best not to bring in a new pet at this point in a child’s life.
* Ages 3-5 — Guinea pigs are good for children this age. Guinea pigs like to be held, they seldom bite and will whistle when excited or happy.
* Ages 5 to 10 — Shelf pets are best for this age —mice, rats or fish. Children can help clean cages with adult help. However, adults must be willing always to check and see if the animal has food, water and a secure cage.
* Ages 10 to 13 — Most children at this age are ready for the responsibility of a dog, cat or rabbit. The child can help feed, walk, clean the cage and change litter. But again, as the parent, you will have to check and make sure the animal has everything it needs.
* Ages 14 to 17 — At this age, kids have lots of activities competing for their time and attention. Therefore, birds and aquariums are good because they are less demanding. Parents, remember when your child goes off to college, you most likely will inherit the pet.
Source: American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Tips for caring for pets
Here are some tips for helping your child have a fun and educational experience with a pet:
* When you first bring the pet home, give it time to adjust. It may not want to be played with; it’s an opportunity for the child to learn patience.
* Never leave a young child unsupervised with a pet. Children need to learn to recognize how the animal feels, and treat it with kindness.
* Encourage your child to approach a dog properly, bringing their body down to its level. If your child is the same height as the dog, have him sit in a chair for an introduction.
* Teach your child to stroke the animal in the direction the hair grows. Any other way can be uncomfortable and upset the animal.
* Children should be taught to respect an animal’s privacy. Don’t bother a pet while it’s eating, drinking or sleeping. Leave its space, toys and food alone.
* Don’t allow children to over-handle a kitten, puppy or other young animal. Animals like to be treated gently, not pummeled or chased.
* Teach your child some simple tricks to teach your dog. Let the child know it may take days or even weeks for the dog to perform the trick.
* Take your child to the pet store to pick out a toy for the family pet. Make it the child’s responsibility to use the toy daily to play with the pet.
* Assign the child specific care tasks, such as feeding, grooming or cleaning, and be sure they know how to do them properly.
* It’s easier for a child to remember to do a task if it’s associated with the child’s own needs. For example, feed or water the cat before sitting down to family dinner; or have the child put fresh veggies in the rabbit’s cage after getting dressed each morning.
* As a child grows, he or she can begin to care for the family pet more independently. This helps the child develop self-esteem, empathy for others’ needs and resourcefulness, which will be valuable in other areas of life.
For more information on pet care, check: www.husu.org (Humane Society of the United States); www.americanhumane.org (American Humane Association) or www.aspca.org (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals).
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