Not every home has room for a dog, so what other interesting pet alternatives are there?
There are a hundred excellent reasons for not buying a pet – none of which wash with animal-loving. So here’s how to meet the kids halfway.
“Mummy WHY can’t I have a puppy?”
“Hmmm let me think – apart from the fact that I have an allergy, your sister has a phobia, they’re stinky, they’re noisy, you can’t go on holiday without begging favours of friends, and they cost a fortune in vet fees – no reason at all.”
Nearly all children love pets. But quite a few parents don’t. If you feel a bit mean always saying ‘No’, here are some ways you can say ‘Yes’ without consenting to co-habit with a slobbering canine or a moulting feline:
1. Make a small concession. Gerbils and goldfish are relatively inexpensive and hassle-free – and they can live in your child’s bedroom where you’ll never need to see them. Make sure your child signs a written contract to fulfil cage/tank-cleaning duties though(!)
2. Cheat. Venus fly traps are plants, not animals. I know that and you know that. But the fact that they have ‘mouths’ and need to be fed live flies could be enough to satisfy your child’s nurturing needs. You can buy venus fly traps via Amazon or Little Shop of Horrors.
3. Take it outdoors. If you can’t even bear the thought of a lively pot plant in your home, have you thought about a frog pond in the garden (where nature takes its course and you can spectate without any responsibility)? Or you could buy an ant farm and let your child watch how ants colonise and work together.
4. Borrow a neighbour’s dog. Offer to take a local dog for walks a couple of times a week. You’ll make one neighbour, one small child, and one park-loving dog very happy. Or befriend nextdoor’s cat. A saucer of milk, a morsel of tuna and a soft ‘here kitty kitty!’ should do the trick. Soon, the moggy who’s been snooping in your garden will be paying you social visits. But be a good neighbour – mention that you’re doing it to the owner and suggest that you’ll make good pet-sitters when they are away.
5. Petting zoos. Rather than bringing animals to your child – you could take your child to them. There are dozens of inner city farms and petting zoos across the country – where your children can stroke, cuddle and tickle fluffy creatures to their hearts’ content. To find one near you, visit http://www.childrensleisure.co.uk/farms-and-animals-c1578.html