What Pets Are Best for Child Care Centers?

Child-care centers often keep pets to teach responsibility and promote social development, but not all animals are suitable for young children. Some may react by scratching or biting when handled roughly, and others carry bacteria that can cause serious illness, especially in infants and toddlers. Finding the right pet for a child care facility means putting the health and safety of the children first.

Information for Parents

• Before adding a pet to your child-care center, let parents know what kind of animal it is and the safety procedures you will follow in caring for it. Some children may have allergy problems just being around a pet; others may react only after handling the animal. Let parents decide whether or not their child will have contact with the pet.

Suitable Pets

• Cats and dogs are good choices for child-care centers, as long as the animals are healthy. They should be tested annually for worms and other parasites, and vaccinations should be kept up to date. Hamsters, gerbils and rabbits also make good pets, but they require gentler handling than dogs or cats and may not be suitable around toddlers. Teach the children that pets may scratch or bite to protect themselves if they are handled roughly.

Pets to Avoid

• Some animals are unsafe for children because they carry dangerous bacteria. Turtles, iguanas, chicks and ducks carry the salmonella bacteria. The dried droppings of parrots, parakeets and similar birds can cause respiratory infections in humans. Snakes, frogs, toads and salamanders also pose a bacterial danger, especially for children under 5. Although ferrets are a popular household pet, they are considered wild animals and should not be kept in child-care centers.

Safe Handling

• Even the most docile pet may cause problems if safety measures are ignored. Children should stay away from animals that are eating or sleeping, and play times should always be supervised to assure gentle handling. Sick or injured animals should be removed from the classroom until they have been cleared by a veterinarian.

Cleanliness

• To maintain general cleanliness throughout the child-care center, keep all pets in cages or in an enclosed area. Dispose of animal waste regularly, and clean and disinfect cages at least once a week. Keep the children away from litter boxes and cover the sandbox unless the children are playing in it. Cats may use it as a second litter box. Teach the children to wash their hands in hot, soapy water after they handle any pet.