Have you been hearing the pleas during lockdown for a kitten or a puppy? Or maybe your child has smaller aspirations and only wants a hamster or a guinea pig. Perhaps they’re a little more offbeat and have been asking for a snake or some other kind of lizard or reptile that usually you’d be calling animal control for, not inviting into your home. Whatever it is, if they’ve struck a chord with you and you’ve found yourself wondering if you should get a pet for your child, then read on for some pros and cons of getting your kid a pet.
Negotiating with a kid can sometimes feel even more difficult than figuring out how to beat a DUI and, if conversations with your under-10 often result in migraine-inducing, screaming tantrums, then they’re probably not ready for a pet. But having an animal to look after is a great way for them to learn some responsibility.
If you decide to get a pet for your child and go for an entry-level critter (hamster, guinea pig, other small mammal) then this can be a great first step into both you and your child learning if they’re ready for the care and attention a larger animal needs.
If they prove that they can clean out a cage or enclosure, exercise and give affection to, and remember to feed and water a little creature, then you can have a conversation about something bigger. If you can’t yet have a discussion with them about taking a turn to do one of the many jobs that pet-care involves without communication completely breaking down, then it may not be the right time.
Exercise
Exercise is a great pro for getting a pet – especially a dog. If you’re concerned about the amount of time your child is spending indoors, in front of a screen, then getting a dog will get them outside, playing and running around, which is a huge benefit. Of course, it’s also worth remembering that a dog has to be walked whatever the elements.
However much responsibility your child takes for the dog, there will be times where it’s raining or miserable outside and that dog still needs to be walked. If you get a pet for your child, you should bear in mind that there will also be times where it isn’t practical for your kid to walk the dog – they might be ill, or have exams coming up which means they just need to focus on something else that day. If you’re not able to walk the dog when it comes to your turn, then consider if this is the right pet option for you as a family.
Stress Reduction
It has been proven that pets can reduce stress so, if your child is prone to being particularly worried or anxious, then this might be a great way to calm them and help them manage their concerns. Schools and colleges have been having “puppy parties” around exam time, to help lower the stress of students facing their finals. If your child gets anxious easily and finds it difficult to control troubling thoughts, then getting them a pet might be a step in the right direction.
Companionship
A pet, whatever breed, size, or type, is not a complete replacement for human company, but it’s likely that your child will have seen less of their friends during lockdown. Although not a true reason to get a pet for your child seeing as there are other ways of keeping them entertained if you’re locked down, a pet can provide company and friendship in what might otherwise be a very lonely time in your child’s life.
Cost
Pets are expensive. There’s no getting around the general, day-to-day costs of having a pet, such as food, grooming equipment, and that’s even without considering annual trips to the vet for vaccinations and general health checkups. There are other costs you might not have considered.
For example, if you’re a family that goes on vacation a lot, what happens to the pet? There are some great trips that you can have, taking your pet along with you. But this isn’t always practical. A cat, for example, is not going to come on holiday with you, so you’ll need to factor into your regular vacation costs the price of a kennel or a pet-sitter. Then there’s what to do if your pet gets ill. We all hope for the best but, even if you adopt a kitten or a puppy, there can be underlying health conditions that you don’t expect, and these can be very costly. Bear this in mind when considering a pet.
Animal Behaviour
No matter how well-trained and domesticated your pet might be, you should remember that, at the end of the day, animals will still be animals. They can be temperamental and, if provoked, could bite or scratch. This won’t necessarily be their fault – unpredictable events can happen that mean they act out. But it’s worth remembering, especially if you have very young and boisterous kids.
Of course, this can be a pro as well. Learning about boundaries and how to respect the animals is a good learning point for your kids as well and can help with their interactions with people too.
Strong Family
Whilst you shouldn’t rely on some poor animal to fix things in your family relationship, it’s definitely true that bringing a fluffy bundle of joy into the family can help bring you all closer together. From going on walks all together, to cuddling up on the couch to watch a movie with your pet, there can be some real perks of having an additional member of the family there to hang out with and drag everyone away from their devices.
Whatever you decide to do, if you do opt to get a pet for your child remember that a pet is forever, not just for COVID. Dog adoption rates have increased as people have been stuck at home, looking for company and interaction, but shelters are concerned about people getting bored of their new furry friends when they’re back in the office.
If you do get a pet for your child, remember they’re for life and they don’t get to choose to live with you, so it’s up to you and your family to give them their best possible life.
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