9 Pet Safety Tips

9 pet safety tips. Kids love pets - dogs and cats - and then some. But things can quickly get out of hand if we don't set appropriate boundaries between them.

For instance, kids adore snack time. Similarly, our furry friends, dogs and cats, also cherish their meals. However, when these two beloved activities intersect, it can lead to one or the other feeling upset. This is not ideal.

These 9 pet safety tips, designed to ensure the well-being of both your child and your pet, can help prevent such situations.

9 Pet Safety Tips

1. Supervise Kids Under Age 4 With Pets

This first of these 9 pet safety tips is essential for both the child and the pet. Supervise kids aged four and under when they're playing with a pet.

There's a potential for harm. Puppies, with their sharp little teeth, can unintentionally cause injury. And cats, when approached by three-year-olds, can become irritable. It's important to be aware of these risks.

It's crucial to always have an adult present during playtime. This ensures everyone's safety and happiness, while also fostering positive interaction between the child and the pet.

2. Separate Pets and Kids at Chow Time

Be aware that pets do not share food well with others. Pets can get quite territorial during chow time. Teach kids not to pet, play with, or disturb a pet while it eats.

3. Children Under Age 8 Should Not Walk a Dog Alone

Kids love to walk the dog, and the dog loves walking. But no child should walk a dog unattended—at least not out of the neighborhood. Kids under age 8 usually aren't responsible enough to walk a dog safely alone.

What if another dog attacks them? The child could be hurt.
But it's up to you, the parent, to decide at what age a child is responsible enough and the neighborhood safe enough for them to do so alone.

4. Keep Kids With Snacks Away From Dogs

Keep young kids with snacks away from dogs. They might lose a finger as well as the snack. See #2 above.

5. Post-Play Hand-Washing is a Must

The family should wash their hands after playing with pets - or at least use a hand sanitizer. This will help prevent the animal-to-human transmission of zoonotic diseases.

6. Who Should Not Clean the Litter Box

Hand with pink shovel cleaning cat litterbox.

9 pet safety tips.

Pregnant women and small children get a pass on cleaning the cat's litter box. Young kids and the immune-compromised also should not clean aquariums.

There are zoonotic diseases that can wreak havoc on a pregnant woman's or a young child's health. Don't go there. (Check out Preventing Zoonotic Diseases for more on this.)

7. Wear Gloves When Coming Into Contact With Pet Feces

Wear plastic or disposable gloves when you or a child comes into contact with pet feces. This includes when scooping the litter box, doing pooper scooper duty on a dog walk, or cleaning up pet accidents.

There's no reason to touch the icky stuff, right? This is one place you don't want to take chances.

8. Keep Outdoor Sandboxes Covered

If you have an outdoor sandbox, keep it covered when the kids aren't playing in it. That way, birds and neighborhood cats don't mistake it for an invitingly large litter box.

9. Don't Allow Kids to Rough-House With Pets

Animal instincts keep most pets from seeing the difference between play aggression and the real thing. Act accordingly by supervising kids and animal play and keeping it tame.