Pet & Animal Safety
Many households contain pets. During a walk to the park you are likely to encounter dogs, cats and many other domestic or non-domestic animals. Pets and kids are cute and doubly cute together. There are some fundamentals of animal safety and interaction that you should know about and enforce:

Keep Up With Vaccinations for Pets - Unvaccinated pets can pose serious health risks to the entire family. Even indoor pets can come into contact with wildlife without your knowledge. Vaccinate your pets for your protection and theirs. Some diseases pets may carry, such as rabies, are fatal. Vaccination is a must. Discuss any questions or concerns with your vet and / or doctor.

Supervise Pet Playtime - Make sure to keep a close eye on the interaction between your child and household pets. Even pets that may have seemed to accept the baby's arrival with grace can suddenly turn nasty. Your child and pet may get along fine for months and suddenly develop an adversarial relationship. Often a baby poses no threat to your pet until the baby can crawl. Things will proceed smoothly until the baby starts "making a nuisance of himself " from the pets perspective. Then when feeling threatened the pet will lash out. Always, always supervise pet playtime.

Teach Your Child to Treat Pets with Consideration - If your child knows how to interact with household pets this will lessen, but not eliminate, the chance of your child being bitten or scratched. Teach the concept of "gentle" early. Do not allow your child to torment a pet, even the meekest animal may lash out. Plus tail & ear pulling isn't very pleasant for the pet.

Wash Up After Play Time With Pets - Make sure your children wash hands after playing with the family pet. Some pets do carry diseases that can be transmitted to humans and washing hands after handling pets is a very reasonable precaution.

Some Pets Such as Turtles May Carry Salmonella - Some reptiles, among them certain aquatic turtles, may be healthy, yet harbor salmonella bacteria. Salmonella is horrible for an adult, and potentially fatal for a small child. The little turtles you may have loved as a child are no longer available in pet stores. This is why. Some sellers, though, find ways to elude the regulations and sell them at roadside stands, be careful and if you have questions call your vet or doctor.

Meeting Other Domestic Animals - Teach your child to approach animals with caution, and only if they've been told that it is O.K. by the animals' owner. Many animals are not well socialized and may react badly to being approached. A young child's face and neck are often right at the dogs head level, so a nip can be a major problem. Never allow your child to approach or touch strays on the street. You have no way of knowing what diseases the animal may carry or what its' temperament is.

Encounters With Wild Animals - It is very unwise to come into physical contact with wild animals or to allow your child to do so. If a wild animal does not seem afraid of humans, they may very well be ill. Wild animals are just that, wild. Overly friendly behavior on the part of a wild animal is a very, very bad sign. Any mammal can be a carrier of rabies, a fatal illness. Certain wild animals are very high risks for rabies, among these are: Bats, Foxes, Raccoons, Otters and Skunks. All other mammals can carry rabies, including dogs and cats. Any physical contact with a wild animal should immediately be reported to the local Health Department and to your physician. An animal need not bite to transmit rabies. This can be accomplished with a scratch, lick or even by petting the animal (most animals groom by licking).

Report Any Bites or Scratches to Your Child's Doctor - Any bite or scratch from any animal (including domestic pets) should be reported to your child's doctor immediately. Aside from the risk of rabies, your child may need stitches, a tetanus booster, antibiotics to ward off a bacterial infection, or other medical treatment.

Aggressive and Dangerous Pets - No pet is as important as your child. Pets that consistently show aggression to your child should be removed from the home. A large dog can critically injure, maim or kill a small child in seconds. It is simply stupid to keep certain pets in a home with children. Some pet owners are hesitant to make these sorts of firm decisions quickly, but that is exactly what you will need to do if you have reason to even suspect that your pet may be dangerous to your child.

Pet Food and Litter Boxes - should be kept out of your child's reach. Litter Boxes can introduce disease as can food or water dishes. Your dog or cat may also be more likely to perceive your child as a threat if your child is seen as competition for food or water.

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Disclaimer: Note, these lists are provided to start you thinking about safety. We guarantee that these lists ARE NOT COMPLETE! You will have to evaluate your own home. No list can anticipate every circumstance. The personal health of yourself , your spouse, children or other factors may dictate that you take precautions not listed here, or that you ignore suggestions made here. Ultimately, you are responsible for your child's safety. When you are unsure or have questions always consult an appropriate professional. We have made every effort to check the accuracy of our information, but we do not guarantee it to be accurate or complete. Use your own judgments and always seek the advice of a physician when appropriate. These lists are intended only to help you identify potential problems. Read our TERMS OF SERVICE for additional information about the conditions and terms under which this list is supplied.