Dealing With Pets –
Important Safety Tips For Parent & Kids
- by Michelle Dalida
Pet care doesn’t only mean keeping your pet healthy, but
extends to how to treat all pets and animals. Belfast Telegraph
recently printed a story about a pack of dogs running loose on
school grounds, eventually attacking several children at St
Therese's Lenamore Primary School in Londonderry. Thankfully,
none of the kids had to be hospitalized, but this attack was a
good wake up call to parents with and without pets since the
incident started because dogs would follow their owners to
school.
Here are some tips on what kids can do from KidsHealth.org:
- Never bother a pet
when it's eating or sleeping
- Don't tease a dog
or cat or pull its tail or ears.
- Don't take a toy
or bone away from a cat or dog or hold it out of reach of
the animal.
- Never try to get
near a pet with its babies (like a cat with kittens or a dog
with puppies). Animal mothers are very
protective and will bite to keep you away.
- If a pet looks
sick or is injured, stay far away. Tell an adult so he or
she can get help for the animal.
When you're at a friend's home, the same rules apply - plus
one more. Always ask your friend if it's OK to
pet or hold his or her pet. If your friend says OK, move slowly
and be sure to let the animal sniff your hands first.
-
Never
pet or touch a strange dog, even if it runs up to you and
seems like it might be friendly.
- If a dog starts
running toward you, don't run. Running away
can make the dog want to chase after you - even if it
doesn't want to hurt you, its instincts will tell it to
chase.
- If a strange dog
approaches you, try to stand very still. This may be scary
for a minute or 2, but often the dog will become bored and
walk away. If the dog tries to sniff you, let it sniff -
this is its way of checking you out.
- Walk away from a
strange dog very slowly. Don't wave your arms around or make
a lot of noise because these actions will only excite the
dog. Look straight ahead and not into the dog's eyes.
- If you are very
afraid of a strange dog or a strange dog tries to bite or
attack you, tell an adult as soon as possible. He or she can
find the dog's owner.
Also: Never pet or touch a strange cat, even
if it seems friendly.
Michelle
Dalida
Read more
daily pet news updates by Michelle at her blog,
TodaysInsideScoop.Blogspot.com
