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 Think first before adopting an animal into your home. Animals are not inanimate objects for you or your child to be entertained by for a short time and then given away or killed. One of the biggest reasons a pet ends up at a shelter is because the owner didn't want it. If you are going to get a pet, consider the responsibilities that go along with it: Feeding, watering, walking, cleaning up after, giving attention (yes-animals need love, it's required!), getting a sitter when you are on vacation or away. Some pets live to be ten to twenty years old. Consider this when you decide to get a dog or a cat. Your new pet should be considered a member of the family, and treated as such. If you're thinking "I can just get rid of it if it
doesn't work out", then you have no business getting a pet.Remember, if you are getting a pet for your child, you yourself are getting one! You will be the main person responsible to see that the animal is fed and taken care of and not handled cruelly by a child who has not been taught the proper way to handle animals. Parents frequently feel that a child should start with a small animal. They start with a hamster, without realizing that hamsters tend to bite when being handled. I hate to think of the final fate of these poor creatures after it is decided that they are not wanted anymore. Hamsters are for older kids and adults. Get a dog or a cat for your child, something more resilient and interactive. Dogs can be handled pretty rough without being harmed, and cats just won't put up with poor treatment. When you get a pet, supervise your child with the pet until you are confident he or she understands the proper treatment and respect an animal deserves. If the animal reacts due to being hurt from inappropriate handling, you should realize the animal is only acting in self defense and the child should be re-educated about how to handle the animal. Also, your child does not need to see a bunny or a kitty or a dog or any other animal give birth for an educational experience. Every year, six to eight million dogs and cats are killed in shelters. This doesn't include rabbits and other animals that end up there every year. Why add to the problem? Become part of the solution: Rent a video on a baby animal birth, adopt a pet from a shelter in your area, and help educate others about the responsibilities of owning a pet. In the event that you are forced to bring your animal to a shelter, be sure to ask what will happen to your pet if it is not adopted in the allotted time for that shelter. You may think twice when you hear the answer. Chances are they will kill your pet, it will not be adopted. Find a no-kill shelter or a friend to take your pet. | |||||||