Pets and Small Children

There is so much that can go wrong, and it can happen in an instant. Even the gentlest dog in the world can have a moment when it perceives a child as a threat—or tries to dominate it. The animal might be in pain you cannot see, and behave differently for that reason. Or the child might—because it doesn’t know better—cause the animal distress.

Studies show that it is not uncommon for children to mistreat or bother animals. It doesn’t necessarily mean anything more than that the child is too young to understand what it is doing. That is why it is so important that someone who does understand is present.

When I was in middle school, I heard about a girl my age who had abused an animal in a cruel way. To this day, I feel sick thinking about the details of the abuse. I also remember the conversations with my peers, where some talked about how she should experience something just as terrible herself. Not once did I consider the possibility that perhaps it was precisely that—experiencing something terrible—that had led to such a horrific act.

Children who abuse animals are often abused themselves

In a review of studies published in the medical journal Archives of Disease in Childhood, the authors found that children who abuse animals are two to three times more likely to have been abused themselves. This connection appears to be even stronger when it is a girl who is the abuser.
There were other striking figures in this review as well: the general prevalence of animal abuse committed by children. According to the authors, animal abuse was common among children. Up to 44 percent of us have done something harmful to an animal in childhood. (The figures vary between studies, probably because the criteria for what constitutes animal abuse differ.)

Exploring the world

The major concern arose when children did such things after the age of ten. What was done at a younger age was more about exploring the world during childhood. This is also completely understandable. When children get older, they understand the consequences of their actions much better. By then they know that pulling a cat’s tail will hurt the cat.

The child doesn’t understand—and neither does the animal

This is why I always become concerned when parents of small children let them be alone with pets—thinking of both the child’s and the animal’s welfare and safety.
Every time I see someone comment on a sweet photo of a small child and an animal, saying that the animal is watching over the child and that they feel perfectly safe leaving them alone together while they fetch the mail or make dinner, I am worried. This applies to both small and large animals. Small children and animals should not be together unsupervised.

Children bitten by dogs are often related to the dog’s owner

When it comes to dog bites, research has shown that those most often affected are children. Deaths from dog bites are rare, but they do occur. More than half of these deaths involve children under the age of ten. Children are particularly vulnerable to dog bites, and three out of four children under ten who have been bitten were bitten in the head or face. Research further shows that in more than half of the cases where dog bites caused injury, the dog was owned by a family member of the person who was injured.
Data from Oslo’s municipal emergency clinic showed that 76 percent of people seeking treatment for injuries from animal bites had been bitten by a dog. Seventeen percent had been bitten by a cat, and two percent by a horse. Cat bites, on the other hand, more often led to infection.

Supervision provides safety—for children, animals, and parents

When research suggests that up to 44 percent of children have abused animals, and that dogs that bite most often bite a child closely related to the owner, parents and pet owners must be aware of their responsibility—and make choices that best protect both pets and children.
Children can greatly benefit from growing up with animals, and animals can greatly benefit from growing up with children. But always under the watchful supervision of a responsible adult, and with good education in understanding an animal’s instincts, signals, and needs—and learning to respect them.
This way, all parties can enjoy being together. A joy that will hopefully last a lifetime.

References:

• Lee-Kelland R, Finlay F: Children who abuse animals: when should you be concerned about child abuse? A review of the literature. Archives of Disease in Childhood 2018;103:801–805.
• NHI.no: Hundebitt
• NHI.no: Førstehjelp ved dyrebitt
• Garvey EM, Twitchell DK, Ragar R, Egan JC, Jamshidi R. Morbidity of pediatric dog bites: A case series at a level one pediatric trauma center. Journal of Pediatric Surgery 2015; 50 (2): 343–46.