By Rachel Stern
Signal Staff Writer

There comes in nearly every family’s life a time (and for some parents, it seems like it’s all the time) the “Can we pleeease get a dog?” imperative. It’s not always a dog - sometimes it’s a cat, a rat, a hamster, a snake, or whatever, but rare is the family who gets through the childhood years without either getting a pet for the children or hearing about it incessantly. Most animal care professionals agree that children and pets are good for each other, but of course precautions must be observed. Jeff Blodgett, communications and marketing specialist for the Los Angeles Chapter of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, said his staff evaluates dogs and classifies them as to whether they are expected to do well with children or not. Therefore, he said, returns due to allergy or behavioral problems with children are very rare.

“In addition, it’s our policy that all family members must meet with the animal before it is adopted,” he said. “They average about a handful a year.”

Choosing the Right Animal

Brenda Sanchez, spokeswoman for the Castaic Shelter, agreed with Blodgett’s counsel for parents thinking of adopting an animal.

“Study the animal before bringing it home,” she said. “And take the child to the adoption center.”

She stresses that both the animal and the child (or children) should be comfortable. In addition, there should be no dominant characteristics like growling or teeth baring visible. The energy level of the dog should be amenable to that of the family.

“If you’re the type of family that likes to lounge around, you don’t want a hyper dog,” she said. “On the other hand, if your family likes to hike for hours every weekend, you don’t want a tiny chihuahua or an older dog.”

In addition, Sanchez strongly recommends that any new dog be taken to obedience classes and that the whole family should participate, since the dog will have to obey every human in the family.

Of course, dogs aren’t the only choice for families who want a new member - there are also cats, hamsters, frogs, etc. Cats are a popular choice for people who don’t wish to walk a pet every day, but, unless the cat is an outdoor cat, there is the issue of the dreaded cat box. Another problem that can occur with cats is the allergy factor.

Pet Allergies

Sensitivity to animals is one of the most common causes of allergy, and more people are allergic to cats than dogs, according to the Johns Hopkins Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. In the United States, cat allergies affect between five percent and 10 percent of the population, though the total percentage of people allergic to both animals is estimated by some researchers at as high as 20 percent. In fact, any creature that has fur or feathers can trigger an allergic reaction, which can be anything from sneezing and watery eyes to asthma symptoms. Recently, “hypo-allergenic” cats have come on the market. Some are hairless, like the Rex, while others are “scientifically designed” to be non-allergenic (”Allerca” cats sell for $3,950 per kitten), but Santa Clarita allergist Lawrence Strick M.D., doesn’t put stock in these solutions.

A hairless cat is not going to solve the problem because it’s not the hair that causes the allergic reaction.

“It’s the saliva and the dander (tiny flakes of skin),” he said. “And all cats have the same protein that cause allergies.”

Interestingly, he noted that it has been observed that children who are exposed to many animals in infancy (for instance children who grow up on farms) are far less likely to be afflicted with allergies.

“It’s known as the hygiene hypothesis,” he said. “Apparently, the children are exposed to certain toxins from the animals and their immune systems respond. But the theory is not universally accepted.”

Strick acknowledged that children who grow up with dogs and cats could reap the same benefits.

A Child’s Best Friend

Children who grow up with animals gain many benefits, said Nikki Miller, a marriage, family and child therapist who practices in Valencia, but their experience is largely reliant on the parents’ experience.

“Generally, how a child feels about pets is transferred from their parents,” said Miller. “Children are not naturally afraid of animals. but if the parent is afraid, the child will be. Similarly, if the parent is disdainful of animals, the child will pick up on that.”

Some authorities suggest waiting until children are six or so before introducing a dog, but Miller thinks the decision should be based on each individual child, with the understanding, of course, that for children under a certain age, the pet will not be the child’s, but the family’s, meaning the responsibility will be the parents’.

“If the pet is for the child, he or she should be able to handle the responsibility,” said Miller. “Some can’t remember to feed or to walk the pet, so the parent will have to maintain an active role.”

In the first six months to a year, many children will keep their end of the pet-care bargain, but after that some give up. Of course, Miller noted, there are all kinds of pets: goldfish, hamsters, frogs, birds, etc., and they have different needs - if you forget to feed the goldfish for a day, it’s not a tragedy. At that point, asked Miller, is the parent willing to put his or her foot down and withhold the child’s dinner until the pet is fed, for instance? Such a circumstance, however, demonstrates how a pet can be a learning experience for a child.

“They’re wonderful teachers for children,” said Miller.

But the most valuable part of having a pet, according to Miller, is the companionship it can offer a child. Many children, especially those that are introverted or shy, said Miller, will talk to their pet in a way they can’t with people, and will feel that the pet understands them better than anyone else.

“This is especially meaningful for middle or only children,” said Miller. “And of course, in a neglectful or abusive household, the presence of a pet could be the difference between psychological health and illness.”

In some cases, said Miller, the dog (or other pet) might be the most functional member of the household, providing structure and stability. Increasing research, for instance from the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of California at Davis, suggests that pets of all kinds can help autistic children.

A Learning Experience

Of course, a pet won’t live forever, and some parents worry about the death of a pet traumatizing a child. But Miller sees the the issue of pets’ mortality as part of what they can teach young people.

“Kids understand death in stages,” said Miller. “For instance, an 8-year-old child understands that death is final, but may not grasp the deeper ramifications of that, or comprehend how the pet’s death will affect them in their lives.” She emphasizes that, like other aspects of the child/pet relationship, how a pet’s death affects a child depends on the pet and the child. Miller relates that her whole family was present at the euthanizing of their animal, and called it a “positive experience,” despite the sadness of the occasion.

Miller is definitely pro-pet, but advises that both in cases where a child has special needs, or just really wants a pet, the parent should ask him or herself what are the child’s needs, and what kind of sacrifices is he or she willing to make to satisfy them?

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