When children demand a pet, parents often fear that the child’s enthusiasm will diminish over time and the responsibility of caring for the animal will pass to them.
“An animal needs to be fed and fed daily,” says Dr. Rainer Vollhart, Vice President of the International Society for Animal Assisted Therapy. “Every family needs to ask themselves if they have the time and space for this.”
He continues: “The most important thing is that the animal’s habits and needs are in harmony with the daily routine of the family.”
Therefore, parents need to decide if they are ready to take on a pet, especially if the children are young.
To find out if a child’s enthusiasm for a pet is lasting, Wolfart recommends asking neighbors and friends to let your child help take care of their pets first, saying, “It’s a good way to test how seriously your child takes a pet.”
Wolfart recommends having a dog or cat for infants.
As Leah Schmitz of the German Association for Animal Protection says: “Dogs and cats accustomed to dealing with humans can do better when it comes to a child who wants to pamper or hold them.”
Larger dogs, and younger ones that are still somewhat wild, are better suited to older children than a puppy that is easy to drop.
Veterinarian Janin Sommer recommends buying Golden Retriever, Bichon Frise and Maltipoo dogs.
On the other hand, hounds such as Weimaraners or Cocker Spaniels, as well as Dalmatians, which have an abundance of energy, are not suitable for children.
Experts also advise against children keeping small pets such as rabbits or guinea pigs.
“The guinea pig has a reputation for being pampered and uncomplicated, but that’s not the case,” says Rainer Wolfhard.
For young children, these animals can also become a real test of patience, as they do not always like to be petted. Nocturnal animals like golden hamsters are not good either.
It is relatively easy to take care of the Al-Durra parrot and the canary bird, but they make a lot of chaos.
According to Schmitz, older children (10 years or older) are better at taking care of young birds.
Ornamental fish can be a wonderful thing for babies. However, the disadvantage of owning a fish is that you cannot touch it or build a close relationship with it, so fish are only suitable for children who enjoy watching them.
“Watch out for wild animals like turtles, lizards and snakes,” says Lea Schmitz, because most wildlife is very difficult to care for in a species-appropriate manner.
It is also important to remember that most reptiles can transmit salmonella bacteria, which can cause serious illness.
To avoid salmonella associated with reptiles, the Robert Koch Institute advises parents not to keep reptiles indoors with children under five.
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