Should I get a pet for my child?

It is worthwhile getting a pet for your child. Household pets can improve our mental health, according to the PAW report, published by the PDSA (People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals). They bring joy to the family and can serve as a good companion for your child. In addition, your child will learn how to take responsibility for another living creature and can develop a caring spirit.

However, it is vitally important that you select the right kind of pet for your child. You need to consider various factors when you are thinking of getting a pet for your child:

• Accommodation – Do you live in a house with a garden or an apartment on the top floor?
• Cost – How much does it cost to have a pet? Can you afford it? Check out the average costs below for each pet.
• Age of Child – How old is your child? Will they be able to manage a pet with diligent care? How much supervision will they need?

What pet should I get for my child?

When I was little, my sister had a pet cat. I tormented that moggy big time. I kept pulling its tail and chasing it. Granted, I was only about 2 years old at the time, and I had no understanding that it was a living creature that could feel pain and fear.

So when you are thinking of getting a pet you may want to consider your child’s age and what creature would be appropriate for your child and that stage of their development.

Here is a little guide on typical household pets for you to consider:

If you are considering getting a cat, check out Sops’ post: Adopting a cat, for more details.

For more information on adopting/buying pets check out the useful websites below.

Is it okay to get a pet as a present?

It is okay to get a pet as a present so long as you have done your research beforehand and understand that having a pet is a long time commitment. A few years ago the RSPCA launched a campaign called, ‘A dog is for life not just for Christmas’. This is because many people were giving dogs to their children for Christmas and then neglecting the dog when the novelty of having him wore off.

You also have to consider what additional chores will need to be completed when you have a pet. So many children give up cleaning out their pets and it ends up being a job the parents do because they don’t want the animal to suffer in a dirty hutch.

It may be worth getting your child a virtual pet to help them practice caring for an animal before you get a living breathing pet into your home.

What pets should I avoid purchasing/adopting?

Fish

Have you ever won a goldfish at a fair? They are the worst prizes ever! Such a prize is a nightmare for parents. Their child enthusiastically carries a plastic bag with a goldfish in it like Darla from Finding Nemo and their parents have to now scoot to the pet shop and buy all the fish paraphernalia that goes with fish. The tank, air pump, food, stones, decor etc. For what?! For one goldfish to circle the tank opening and closing its mouth until it jumps out of the tank and causes a huge drama. I have seen that scene too often to know that fish make rubbish pets for children.

Exotic Pets

There has been a recent upsurge of exotic pets over the past few years in the UK. But exotic pets are hard to keep, especially reptiles. They need to be kept very warm. Most reptile keepers tend to have one reptile room to keep their lizards and snakes etc and they have to pay a small fortune to keep the room warm. Animal protection charities are urging people not to buy an exotic pet without fully researching what is involved.

Birds

Birds don’t make good pets for children. It might seem nice to have a little canary chirping away in a cage, but they can easily ruin furniture with their poo and you will spend most of your days chasing the flying thing around the room to get it back into the cage. Birds are not easy for adults to manage, let alone children.

Pets from unreputable breeders

Sadly, some people think they can make easy money breeding their pets and selling the babies online. But they have no idea what they are doing. They can overbreed the female animal and cause health problems for her. They may not administer deworming and flea treatments to the babies. They probably won’t bother to get the babies vaccinated either.

This means some people may pay hundreds of pounds and have a sick animal on their hands. Never buy an animal on social media. Make sure it is from a reputable breeder who knows what they are doing. Your local vet will be able to tell you who the reputable breeders are in your area.

Below, are some websites of reputable breeders in our useful websites list.

Other things to know

Accommodation:

As we mentioned before you need to consider the accommodation you are living in when you are thinking of having a pet. If you have a garden and a garage that could hold a hutch, then you could easily house bunnies or guinea pigs. If you live in an apartment you could get a small dog or a house cat that doesn’t like to go out.

Start-Up Costs:

When you buy or adopt a pet there are a few things you need to pay for initially including:

• Vaccinations
• Neutering
• Flea and worm treatments
• Pet Insurance
• Microchipping
• Pet Bedding
• Litter Trays
• Leases, car harnesses
• Toys
• Food
• Hutch

Here are the average start-up costs for pets:

Dogs:

Small dog breeds: £370
Medium dog breeds: £395
Large dog breeds: £425

Cats: £250

Bunny: £570.

Guinea Pig: £260-430

Hamster: £90

Pet Insurance

Don’t forget to get pet insurance. You don’t want to be hit with a nasty vet bill if your pet gets seriously ill or injured. Read the Insurance cover to make sure it meets all your needs. Insurance tends to go up in price the older your pet becomes.

Sops and I use Animal Friends pet insurance for Oreo, as recommended by my sister.

Useful Websites

Some of the facts I have gleaned for this post have come from the following websites:

PDSA – People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals
Smarter Finances – On Hamsters
Kavee – On Guinea Pigs
RSPCA – Royal Soceity for the Protection of Animals
Home and Roost – On Guinesa Pigs
Animal Friends Insurance – Pet Insurance
Puppy Choices – Reputable Dog Breeders
Cat Breeders Association – Reputable Cat Breeders
Cats Protection – Cat Adoption
Blue Cross – Dog Adoption

We hope you have found this post helpful. Are you thinking of getting a pet for your child? Do you have any questions about it? If so, come and join the discussion in our Forum.