Teaching kids how to care for pets isn’t child’s play

Dear Cathy: Can you please address the issue of parents getting pets for a child? I’ve been running an animal shelter (specifically for ferrets) for over 30 years, and this is an ongoing problem. The 9-year-old who wrote a report to persuade a parent to get a pet will be interested in something else six months later. They will never perform every care and cleaning chore without constant supervision.

Pets like ferrets and hamsters are especially neglected, abandoned, and surrendered to shelters. I tell parents they must be willing to care for any pet taken into their family. To an animal welfare advocate, treating pets as disposable objects is disheartening. — L.V., Hartford, Connecticut

Dear Parents: Raising kids with pets is a wonderful way to introduce kids to animals. But young children are not equipped to properly care for pets. And they quickly get bored with pet care chores.

As a parent, you’re always the primary caregiver for all pets in the home. You set the example by which a child learns how to take care of a pet and why they need to care for it. If you place this responsibility on your children, they learn that the pet is not a priority for you, which means they will not engage the pet nearly enough. Sadly, small pets like hamsters, ferrets and rabbits also suffer more because the pet’s cage is usually in a child’s room.

Instead, keep these pets in a communal area where you can monitor their well-being. Show daily interest in the pet’s care and social needs. Give the pet affection. Play with the pet. Teach your children about pet behavior and how to behave around a pet.

Pets don’t teach kids responsibility; you do. As the parent, you’re always the pet’s primary caretaker.

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