Companion Animals ('Pets')

For many children, the closest relationship they have with animals is with their 'pets'. Animal protection organisations such as PETA prefer the term 'companion animal' as it more accurately describes the ideal relationship between humans and animals. Children and young people often have a special affinity for animals and many share their homes with them. By teaching children to love and care for animals we can teach them empathy, kindness and respect. Caring for animals also encourages a sensitivity which can extend beyond caring for that one animal to caring for all animals, other children, family members and neighbours. For the wellbeing of animals as well as children it is essential for children to see animals as sentient beings, not toys.

Dogs were domesticated 15,000 years ago when humans in Asia tamed a pack of wolves. All those years of living with humans have changed dogs' way of thinking—everyday experience shows us that even very young puppies know how to 'read' people. It's time that people became better at 'reading' dogs!

Cats were first domesticated 8,000 years ago by people in the Far East who considered them to be good luck. But today's cats, who are abandoned in streets and left to fend for themselves outside, need plenty of luck just to survive.

Sanctuaries or Shops
With sanctuaries and shelters overflowing with unwanted, abandoned and abused animals, animal welfare campaigners encourage people who can offer a safe and loving home to an animal to adopt a rescued animal rather than buying one from breeders or pet shops.

Spaying and Neutering
One of the main reasons that sanctuaries are filled with unwanted animals is because people don't always have their animals spayed and neutered. Even if an animal is allowed to have 'just one litter', that litter will displace animals who have already been born and are in desperate need of homes. If the animal's offspring are not altered, they can multiply into thousands of unwanted animals in just a few years. People on low incomes can get financial help for spaying and neutering from the RSPCA, Celia Hammond's Clinic in London and many other organisations. Any vet should be able to advise on low-cost spaying and neutering. This one-off operation does not harm the animal, does not change his or her personality and can prevent certain cancers and other diseases—in addition to preventing the births of unwanted animals.

Cross Breed or Pure Breed
Often, the mixed-breed mutt is likely to be healthier than the pure-bred dog due to the mixed genes. In-breeding of pure-breed dogs has led to a host of problems. For example, the incidence of hip dysplasia in Golden Retrievers and German Shepherds is above 75 per cent and we know that breathing difficulties are common in Pugs and Boxers.

Health problems associated with genetic inbreeding are practically unheard of in mixed breed dogs, which is definitely better for the animal and better for the dog's carer too!