It is often said that children benefit from caring for domestic animals, especially in today’s technology focussed world. However, the issue is not entirely straightforward, and arguments can also be made against the idea. This essay will discuss the debate, and give a concluding view.
On the one hand, those who support the ownership of pets cite the various benefits that the activity can bring to a child. These range from understanding nutrition, to learning about biology and daily routines. For example, food selection and exercise activities contribute to this strand of development, which adds greatly to a child’s all-round education. Another argument is the emotional support that children receive from pets, meaning that the child feels more secure and thus more confident.
By contrast, opponents of this view point out that not all children live in a situation where pet keeping is advisable, or even possible. Examples can be seen in less affluent countries, where the expense of maintaining a pet may be prohibitive. In addition, many children live in unstable family environments, due to such issues as unemployment or political turbulence. For these families, pets would probably suffer neglect, meaning that it would be unfair to keep them, or possibly even dangerous. Finally, it must be said that not all young people actually want to keep a pet, because their interests lie elsewhere. For these youngsters, animal ownership should not be encouraged.
Overall, it seems advisable that the decision to keep a pet should be based on a child’s interest, ability and family circumstances, rather than on a general view that ‘all children’ should have animals. It would appear that this serves the interests of both the children and the pets involved.