# ways to get kids to care more about their smaller animals...



## MrRustyRead (Mar 14, 2011)

GET THEM TO PAY FOR EVERYTHING!!!


when i was younger and my parents paid for all the stuff for my rabbits i can regretfully say now that i didnt really care about them that much, was to young to understand it all. but now ive grown up and buy/bought everything for myself i am a much better carer of my rabbits. i feel this may also being due to the fact im a lot older now, but also when i want something for them i have to pay for it. i wanted a new hutch, i had to pay £100+ for it myself, i wanted a shed to keep them in, i had to pay £300+ for it. i feel kids will be more respectful when it comes out of their own pockets.


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## sarelis (Aug 29, 2011)

Lol our youngest wants a pony, don't think she can afford those running costs tho!


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## MrRustyRead (Mar 14, 2011)

sarelis said:


> Lol our youngest wants a pony, don't think she can afford those running costs tho!


hahaha id love a horse, but so so expensive ha


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## PennyGC (Sep 24, 2011)

I do not understand why kids don't want to look after their pets - they shouldn't have them if they're not going to take care of them... when I was a child I had lots of pets and 100% responsibility for them, no one checking what I was doing nor any need too... aren't they aware of responsibility? is it because they're not trusted or what? My pets my responsibility and glad of it... I didn't have to pay for everything though... I did get the basics but then I guess these days perhaps kids have more pocket money... I worked from an early age but only for small amount of cash unfortunately.


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## MrRustyRead (Mar 14, 2011)

My parents turned round and said you don't look after them then they are going, even put an ad up for them. That gave me a kick up the arse and I've loved them ever since, a wonderful 10 years it has been


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## swatton42 (Oct 29, 2011)

My personal opinion is that pets shouldn't go to be a pet for a small child anyway. Have a family pet that the children play with but is really the adult's pet then yea fair enough.

I know not everyone is the same and sometimes it can actually help a child develop to have a pet and have some responsibility but the responsibility is still with the adult. However in many cases a child has a toy, they play with it, they got bored with it, they want a new toy. A child has a pet, they play with it, they get bored with it, they want a new pet. I know when I was a child and we had a pet I would be so excited for a few months and then it would be Mum and Dad's pet.

As far as I'm concerned there is a reason why there is an age limit on purchasing animals so therefore there is a limit on how responsible a child can be for a pet.

If you have a child that is very responsible for their pet then well done and congratulations to you :thumbup1:


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## Ingrid25 (Oct 1, 2011)

PennyGC said:


> I do not understand why kids don't want to look after their pets - they shouldn't have them if they're not going to take care of them... when I was a child I had lots of pets and 100% responsibility for them, no one checking what I was doing nor any need too... aren't they aware of responsibility? is it because they're not trusted or what? My pets my responsibility and glad of it... I didn't have to pay for everything though... I did get the basics but then I guess these days perhaps kids have more pocket money... I worked from an early age but only for small amount of cash unfortunately.


its not all kids, remember that!
i am 11, and i have 2 guinea pigs and a kitten.
they are all all mine and i have full repsonsibility for them, cleaning hutches, feeding, litter trays, cuddles etc!
even though i do not have to pay for everything to do with them i do still have to pay for some things.
so, this is not just for you but to everyone. before saying comments like this i reccomend that you do not refer to all kids, because there are caring kids on this forum.


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## Bullymastiff (May 6, 2010)

I think its about teaching them RESPECT for animals aswell and compassion. 
My daughter cried and cried the other night because i washed the dogs bed, and gave her a blanket overnight while it dried...'shes got no bed..mum she'll get COLD! your so CRUEL!' LOL she was so worried! but i love that she cares so much :biggrin:


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## swatton42 (Oct 29, 2011)

Aww that's so cute!


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## Obzocky (Jan 1, 2012)

Children should have pets (imho) but they should be shown how to care for and respect them appropriately by the adults in the house. My parents would buy us pets, but only if they were willing to take care of them. Whenever I got bored (as children tend to do) one of them would sit me down, get out the animal and then start explaining things about them, or how i'd wanted them and now we had a bond. The bond meant it was my duty to care as I was able and to treat them with respect.

Not a big fan of the buy it yourself route. I've witnessed parents use it a few times and it doesn't really improve the situation unless they're actively helping their child understand why you should get a companion animal in the first place and what your duties are once they come home.


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## Clare7435 (Dec 17, 2009)

The pets in this house are mine, the kids et to help care for them if they wish but they are mine, that way if the kids don't do much with them they are my responsibility. I try and get the kids to take an active role in their care which they all do but with kids lives changing as they grow, they have more friends, go out, go to school/ after school activities etc they're not always going to be home at feeding/cleaning/play times. my kids love the pets but i find if they help out where they can I get more help with them that if I force them to do things at certain times. If I had allowed my Daughter to get the kitten she wanted a few weeks back that would have been another job for me to do when she goes back to school. I'm not saying kids aren't capable of looking after pets as I'm sure they are, but the rules in my house are that if they want a pet it must be something I'm willing to care for.


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## vet-2-b (Sep 25, 2008)

Ingrid25 said:


> its not all kids, remember that!
> i am 11, and i have 2 guinea pigs and a kitten.
> they are all all mine and i have full repsonsibility for them, cleaning hutches, feeding, litter trays, cuddles etc!
> even though i do not have to pay for everything to do with them i do still have to pay for some things.
> so, this is not just for you but to everyone. before saying comments like this i reccomend that you do not refer to all kids, because there are caring kids on this forum.


totally agree with you there, all though im abit older (15) there are lots of kids out there that do look after there pets but unforturnatly there are some kids (and parents) who let the side down but after working in a rescue i can tell you (as many of you will know) adults arent much better.After all the adult has made the desition (sp?) to purchase the pet for the child. I do agree that paying does help with responsibility but if a kid dosnt have a job or is to young (which even at 15 its hard to get a job especialyl with animals)how can they? i no my friends little sister is only 6ish and she has a ponies, chickens and dogs and she helps her mum everyday grooming, feeding and riding her pony, so often i find its leading by example and teaching responsibilty.


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## Drakino (Jan 1, 2012)

I had a hamster when I was about six or seven, but I wasn't allowed to handle him because he "bit". It was probably not a proper bite, just a nip, but I don't remember being bitten by him, only being told that he bit, so I can't say for certain.

I also got a cat when I was eight, but partly because we had four other cats at the time (and ended up getting another one with Fudge, bringing the total to six...), and partly because we got him with cat flu and Mum nursed him back to health, Mum ended up taking responsibility for him along with the other cats.

I was good with the fish tank I persuaded my parents to get, though! Feeding the fish every day, and making sure they got cleaned out, checking them etc! To be fair, I helped out with the cats when asked, too


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## northnsouth (Nov 17, 2009)

Ingrid25 said:


> its not all kids, remember that!
> i am 11, and i have 2 guinea pigs and a kitten.
> they are all all mine and i have full repsonsibility for them, cleaning hutches, feeding, litter trays, cuddles etc!
> even though i do not have to pay for everything to do with them i do still have to pay for some things.
> so, this is not just for you but to everyone. before saying comments like this i reccomend that you do not refer to all kids, because there are caring kids on this forum.


Well said. My daughter had her first very own kitten at 3  I have never had to tell her to see to a pet.My guidance and supervision were always there. She would even forgo sleep overs to see to her responsibilites and she has and will never been any different.. I have seen her have the worst hang over and still her dogs got walked


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## oggers86 (Nov 14, 2011)

I got my very first rabbit at 6 because I wasnt allowed a cat. This was followed by a chinchilla, another rabbit and a cat up until the age of 11.

To be honest I didnt take good care of them (apart from the cat), I loved them and wanted to keep them but just didnt really give them the care they needed. Parents were reluctant to help out because they were "my pets" 

Im kind of angry in a way that they basically gave me 100% responsibility as a child because to me it wasnt fair. When I left home I got myself a hamster and gave that amazing care but I was older, knew my responsibilities etc etc. 

Even the fish I had as a teenager got better care. 

I do think the pets I had could have been treated much better (my rabbits and chinchilla were very unsociable due to not being handled enough but I do not think children should be given all the responsbility. Unfortunately I dont really think I wanted any of the pets, they were all my parents ideas but they expected me to take over their entire care..

In the future I want my kids to have pets, we will always have cats but I would like to get them (me) guinea pigs and try and give them something to take care of. Im not silly enough to think a young child will be responsible enough to take care of an animal but I do think having their own pet will be good for them and they can help me take care of them. I fully intend to basically take on all of their care, especially since it will be my decision to get them a pet, therefore I should deal with the consequences. 

Children have short attention spans and get bored easily, its only natural they will get bored of their pet and look for new things. At the end of the day its the adults who say yes or no to any pet so it should be their responsibility but they should always get the kids involved to learn about taking care of a pet.


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## micki (Apr 27, 2011)

My kids have their own pets. My son has a hamster which he takes great care of, he is only 7 years old but he is really taking great care of her. 
My daughter, who is 9 years old, has a pony, 3 gerbils and 3 guinea pigs. She did have 2 guinea pigs but 1 died very sudden and today she has used her money that she got for christmas to buy the 2 guines pigs that she bought today. She looks after all her animals. I help her with the pony and the guinea pigs and she has to look after the gerbils herself.
Obviously if they get bored of the animals then i will take over with their care but i do expect them to help me out with them as they wanted them not me. I already have my own animals to see to everyday. I have 3 horses, 2 ferrets, a load of chickens and a dog. They see me go out to care for my animals everyday so know what is involved with any animal that comes into the house and they are willing to take care of their own animals as they already know that they can't just think that they can't be bothered to care for them. I think it is a great way for children to learn about responsibilty.


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## emzybabe (Jun 30, 2009)

Children cannot legally be held responsible for any pet. I believe family pets work out much better in most cases. I see so many rabbits in tiny cages forgotten about its sickening


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## LostGirl (Jan 16, 2009)

All of our pets are just that "ours" we all look after them, I do most of it for the cat and rodents and hubby does the dogs (he's the main walker)

My kids have had animals in their life's before they were born, so they have always seen us taking care of them etc I do think they will
Grow up to be responsible pet owners


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## forgotten~myth (May 30, 2010)

Ingrid25 said:


> its not all kids, remember that!
> i am 11, and i have 2 guinea pigs and a kitten.
> they are all all mine and i have full repsonsibility for them, cleaning hutches, feeding, litter trays, cuddles etc!
> even though i do not have to pay for everything to do with them i do still have to pay for some things.
> so, this is not just for you but to everyone. before saying comments like this i reccomend that you do not refer to all kids, because there are caring kids on this forum.


Sing it, sister!

I am fouteen and have a degu. I think having a pet teaches children responsibility and it really anoys me when people say that children and "young people" should not be allowed pets. We can take care of them as well as anybody, perhaps better in some respects - younger people are often more open minded and treat animals as people. I (sad as it may sound) can hold a civilised conversation with my degu and it often helps to relieve my feelings when I think I have nobody else to talk to. Children need someone they now that they can trust. Animals can never tell your secrets and ussually become a childs best friend. Why do people assume that they will not look after their best friend? We have as much right to a pet as any adult.

Sorry for the rant. 

FH
x


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## Ingrid25 (Oct 1, 2011)

forgotten~myth said:


> Sing it, sister!
> 
> I am fouteen and have a degu. I think having a pet teaches children responsibility and it really anoys me when people say that children and "young people" should not be allowed pets. We can take care of them as well as anybody, perhaps better in some respects - younger people are often more open minded and treat animals as people. I (sad as it may sound) can hold a civilised conversation with my degu and it often helps to relieve my feelings when I think I have nobody else to talk to. Children need someone they now that they can trust. Animals can never tell your secrets and ussually become a childs best friend. Why do people assume that they will not look after their best friend? We have as much right to a pet as any adult.
> 
> ...


i so agree with you FH!!!!!!


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

My daughter got her first mice at about 6 years old, I reminded her to feed them, give them water and I helped her clean them out. If I didnt Im sure at that age they would have dehydrated and starved to death in a filthy cage if I didnt remind her. She really benefitted from having the pets but I wouldnt trust a child with sole responsibility for a pet.


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