Many families eventually consider bringing a furry (or scaly) friend into their home at some point. According to the American Pet Association, of the 102.8 million households in America, 33.2 million have at least one pet. Pets are great decisions for practically any family, but deciding the who, what, when, where, and how of doing so is critical to ensuring the most healthy situation possible for both the animal and the family.

Listen to your children’s requests

Perhaps your children express a love of unicorns and tigers, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be practical in their animal wants. Even if they are not making specific assertions, make educated guesses based on their personal interests. For example, is there a particular kind of stuffed animal they tend to choose most, such as rabbits or dogs? Do they connect well and/or give a lot of attention to a neighbor’s cat? Is there a television show’s animal (such as the golden retriever on "Full House" or the naked mole rat on "Kim Possible") that they particularly enjoy? Thinking about their natural inclinations with animals can be a reliable guide for the process. Take them to a pet shop and observe them closely. Pay attention to detail however, often rapt attention given to a certain area, such as rodents or birds for example, can reveal your child’s surprising sadism. Be sure to note what sort of animals your child harasses or taunts, these obviously would not make good choices for pets. Don’t be deterred however from animals entirely if you see this, it is typical of many young children to tease certain animals. Almost every child has a soft spot and mature interest in some creature, so don’t give up! When you see your child with the animal they feel akin to most, it is an endearing and insightful moment. As much as 75% of homes with an animal chose pets (especially dogs and cats) because it helps a child's development. A connection with an animal is a great emotional bond for a child to make, and one that many children make easily.

Housing Circumstances

Always put a lot of importance into how much space you can give an animal. Though you may love german shepherds, keeping one in a tiny apartment is a bad idea, if not a rather cruel situation for the animal. Dogs will almost always require a good amount of space, unless you plan on getting a small, fashionable dog such as Chihuahua. Cats are ideal for just about any environment. Fish also are good for most environments, but make for boring family pets. These are just some of the basic pets, but heed the advice of a pet store clerk or SPCA official, don’t try to make it work. Animals have specific needs and adhering to them is essential to preserving the animal’s well-being.

Expectations of the Pet

Most children will want a very social pet, such as a dog or cat. These animals can be petted and played with. While these pets are generally more upkeep, they are worth getting in order to fulfill the family’s needs. Oftentimes making a compromise of sorts, by getting for example a hamster, is not a good idea. Hamsters are fun for just one child who will enjoy having to take care of its entire home. But getting a small, caged pet for multiple children that strongly desire a playmate is a bad idea. The pet may likely end up initially fought over, but eventually forgotten. There are more individual type pets, such as birds, rabbits, mice, turtles, hamsters, etc., and then there are more family type pets such as dogs and cats. Assess the overall climate of desire within your home, if it’s just one child begging for a puppy or the entire family that wants to take in cats.

Keeping Everyone Involved

Giving children pets as clearly labeled gifts is a bad idea. Make getting a pet a family activity and acquisition that doesn’t involve the frivolous nature of a present. Buying a pet is an exciting moment, but should be one more defined by responsibility than indulgment. A gift pet can work well when it is given to one of the parents. This way, children ask for the privilege of taking part in caring for the animal. This differs from getting the family a pet, and having children leave you with all the responsibilities. One of the top ten reasons for relinquishing a dog to a shelter in the US is simply "no time for pet", so make sure both you and your children are ready to give a needy animal, such as a dog, a lot of your time and effort. A pet comes with many responsibilities, so connecting a pet with adult ongoings helps reinforce the seriousness of keeping the pet. It’s not necessary to emphasize it as ‘Daddy’s dog’. Make sure to inform children that the new family member is for everyone to love and share. When children ask why they specifically cannot have a pet answer "Taking care of a pet is a big responsibility, but you can help Mommy and/or Daddy with it.” Read pet books (which are worth the investment to buy and are very informative) together with your family and allow children to do independent tasks for the pet such as walking, brushing, feeding, etc. Many small children will enjoy lightly grooming pets, this is especially a good choice to assign them if they can’t walk, feed, clean up the pet themselves.

Pet store or SPCA?

The main difference between these two is that a pet store will have more variety whereas the SPCA has mainly cats and dogs. Despite the fact that most SPCA animals come from abusive or negligent homes, they are usually healthier and hardier than pet store animals which are often raised in puppy/kitten mills and by small breeders. If getting a purebred animal is not of high importance, give the SPCA (which carries mostly mutts) a try. It is much cheaper! The SPCA is a fairly common stop; 20% of owned dogs and cats come from animal shelters (number found by the APPMA National Pet Owner Survey). All SPCA animals will already have been spayed or neutered, so keep this in mind if you are interested in possibly fostering pet offspring. Pet stores, such as Petsmart often hold shelter fairs, where the SPCA or animal rescue groups come in with animals to try and promote pet adoption. These events are a great chance to play with animals and ask questions, and of course, adopt a pet! Contact your local SPCA or major pet store to find out when such events are taking place. Try attending some of these events with your family and see their reaction to the animals and the expert advice.

Animals are incredible companions that become part of a family in a deep, genuine way. They are playmates for children, companions in leisure time, and sources of unconditional love. Don’t rush into a pet, give your family a month or more to really discuss the prospect before coming to a final decision as to what is best for your situation. Good luck with the search!

External Links:

• - SPCA homepage
• - Petsmart homepage