If you have a pet, you know how much fun it can be: watching little fish swim in a tank, seeing a dog catch a ball in its mouth, touching the cold surface of a lizard’s back, or designing a fancy maze for a hamster. Animals can be great fun, but it’s important to know how to be safe when you’re with them. Both indoor animals and outdoor animals need to be treated kindly all the time.

Pets cannot tell you if they’re upset or scared, so they show you. They might do this by biting or scratching. To avoid bites and scratches:

• Never bother a pet when it’s eating or pull its food or water away; • Don’t tease a dog or cat or pull its tail or ears;

• Never bother a pet when it’s sleeping;

• Don’t take a toy or bone away from a cat or dog or hold it out of reach of the animal;

• Never try to get near a pet with its babies (like a cat with kittens or a dog with puppies). Animal mothers are very protective and will bite to keep you away;

• When lifting a rabbit, hamster, guinea pig from its cage, do it slowly. Be sure to hold the animal underneath its belly;

• Never pick up or hold a rabbit by its ears;

• When pulling an iguana, lizard, snake, or other reptile from its tank, do it slowly and carefully. Then wash your hands right away because reptiles can carry bacteria like salmonella on their skin;

• Never stick your hand into a fish tank – most fish can’t hurt you. But a few types of fish can and do sting if they get upset. The water also contains germs that could cause a skin infection;

• If a pet looks sick or is injured, stay far away. An animal that normally loves to be petted and play may get very upset and even bite when it is feeling ill. Tell an adult so he or she can get help for the animal.

• When you’re at a friend’s home, the same rules apply – plus one more. Always ask your friend if it’s OK to pet or hold his or her pet. If your friend says OK, move slowly and be sure to let the animal sniff your hands first.

Woof! Woof! Safety around a strange dog

Coming home from school and hoping you won’t see the dog that always barks like crazy and runs around. Kids often get scared of a dog they don’t know, especially if that dog is loud and doesn’t have an owner nearby. The most important thing is that you remain calm and do not show the dog that you are afraid:

• If a dog starts running toward you, don’t run. Running away can make the dog want to chase after you – even if it doesn’t want to hurt you, its instincts will tell it to chase.

• If a strange dog approaches you, try to stand very still. This may be scary for a minute or two, but often the dog will become bored and walk away. If the dog tries to sniff you, let it sniff – this is its way of checking you out.

• Walk away from a strange dog very slowly. Don’t wave your arms around or make a lot of noise because these actions will only excite the dog. Look straight ahead and not into the dog’s eyes.

• If you are very afraid of a strange dog or a strange dog tries to bite or attack you, tell an adult as soon as possible. He or she can find the dog’s owner.

Save your love for your own dogs and cats. You know they’ll love you back!

http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/watch/house/animals.html