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EASEL News: October 2020

Children and Pets (continued from page 1)

face, head, and neck area. But animals such as her bed. These types of behaviors,
only do that because that is their defense while normal for children, may be anxiety-
mechanism, and your child’s actions may provoking for an animal. Teach children
frighten the dog or cat into that state. not to bother a dog while it’s eating or to
“It is essential that children be calm by startle him during sleep, and to handle
not jumping around and screaming to get animals gently and give them space.
an animal’s attention, as this is annoying Stress for a cat or dog of this nature can
and stressful to a pet,” the website One have unintended negative consequences
Green Planet states. “Pulling at a dog’s or on the pet’s health. For this reason,
cat’s tail, yanking paws and sneaking up teaching safety rules to your child, setting
behind pets is going to get a child nipped boundaries and ensuring you supervise
at. Never allow your kids to corner a pet, their interactions is crucial. Start when
let alone cornering and roughly handling your child is at a young age. Any physical
them. Doing this will put pets into a attacks by a child on a pet like pinching,
defensive mode (growling, biting, hissing, punching, kicking, and slapping needs
barking) or could make them always want to be corrected immediately. It goes the pesticide ingestion, which is all the more
to hide.” other way, too, as you would never permit reason to keep a close eye on both your
Hugging or getting too physical with the your dog or cat to bite or scratch your kid. children and your pets.
pet may also cause injury, and sometimes “Do not let your children do whatever Another tip to keep in mind is to
death, to your pet, especially if the child is they want with or to a pet,” One Green work with the organization from which
too young to understand how to interact Planet’s website states. “Children are still you are adopting your pet to match the
safely. learning right from wrong and will not pet’s personality to that of your family’s
“Children may not be able to interpret understand that a pet may not want to needs. EASEL specializes in this placement
the body language of an animal, which be touched, unless you teach them and and reviews all applications, meets with
may be a warning sign before a bite reinforce safety rules.” potential adopting families, learns about
occurs,” states the ASPCA. A dog that is Also be mindful of situations where the family dynamics, and matches a pet to
fearful or anxious may crouch low to the your child may accidentally feed an environment and family where the best
ground, put its tail between their legs or something harmful to your pet or may chance for a happy union can occur.
flatten its ears back. An aggressive dog accidentally leave a door to the outdoors “We have an extensive process for
may puff out fur to try to appear bigger open. For example, a child may think it is dog and cat adoptions,” explains Georgia
or may growl or show teeth in a warning OK to share his or her food with your cat Arvanitis, VP, Director of Grants at
display.” or dog, but some foods aren’t safe for pets EASEL. “We look at other pets and family
The ASPCA also notes that children (chocolate, onions, etc.). In general, sharing members in the household, the individual
sometimes frighten animals just by doing food should be discouraged. pet’s personality, and more. We consider
normal “kid things.” Loud or rough play Leaving an outside door open as your these factors because it goes a long way to
may be scary for dogs. Curious kids may pet becomes curious can also lead to the ensuring that the animal goes to the best
try to play with a dog’s food, or explore an pet accidentally escaping and putting home and that the union is a success.”
area a dog considers to be her territory, itself in danger to predators, cars, or

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