Small children are also more likely to be bitten or scratched by pets, since they treat pets as toys. Teach your children how to treat family pets and to avoid strange pets. It may be safest to wait to get a pet until your children are past the toddler stage. If you're planning to get a pet, you might consider adopting an older cat or dog, instead of getting a puppy or kitten. This way you can avoid the housebreaking stage and its problems.
Older pets are less likely to spread disease or become ill themselves.
Although this list of common-sense precautions seems fairly long, it shouldn't discourage you from owning a pet. If you are careful, living with a pet can be a healthy and rewarding experience. This handout provides a general overview on this topic and may not apply to everyone. To find out if this handout applies to you and to get more information on this subject, talk to your family doctor. Visit familydoctor.org for information on this and many other health-related topics.