Animals and child safety

Many children love animals, enjoy close relationships with them and learn valuable life lessons from caring for their own pets. At the same time, being around animals brings responsibilities and risks. Children need to be taught how to behave safely around animals, and how to prevent and recognise problems before they arise.

General safety around animals#

• Teach children to always treat animals gently and calmly, and never to hurt, tease, frighten, surprise or corner an animal.
• Always supervise children closely near any animal, including family pets. If this is not possible, keep them separated.
• Separate children and animals during noisy, high-energy play, when food is present, and when either the animal or the child is sleeping. Never disturb an animal that is eating or sleeping.
• Ask friends and relatives to follow the same rules.
• Keep your pet healthy, and always wash your hands after touching animals, their food bowls, toys and bedding.

Dogs#

Dogs are popular family pets, but each year a number of children are injured in incidents involving dogs. Children aged 5 years and under are most at risk and are most often bitten by their own dog or a friend’s dog, usually in or around the home. Incidents are commonly triggered by a child interacting with the dog during play or eating, or when the dog is sleeping. Any dog can bite a child.

To reduce the risk of dog bites:

• Supervise. Children need constant, close supervision near dogs, and must be gentle during play. Teach them to leave a dog alone when it is sleeping or eating.
• Teach children to leave a dog alone when it lifts its lips, growls, backs away, raises the hair on its back or stares.
• Teach children not to approach an unfamiliar dog, even one that looks friendly. Have your child ask both you and the dog’s owner before patting any dog, and to pat gently and calmly.
• If an unfamiliar dog approaches, teach your child to stand completely still with arms by their sides and hands in fists, and not to run, scream or make eye contact with the dog.
• Train your dog to obey commands such as sit, stay, drop and come.
• Never try to break up a dog fight.

When choosing a dog for your family, research which type will suit your lifestyle and environment. Training, socialising with adults, children and other animals, and keeping your dog healthy are all essential.

If your child is bitten by a dog#

• Calm your child.
• If the skin is broken, wash the area under cold running water, apply an antiseptic and cover the bite with a clean dressing. Take the child to a doctor, as a tetanus booster and antibiotics may be needed.
• If a piece of flesh has been bitten off, call for an ambulance. Control bleeding with firm pressure on the wound using a sterile dressing or clean cloth until help arrives.
• If your child is pale or drowsy, lie them down and raise their legs on a pillow or folded blanket. Do not give them any food or water.

Cats#

Cats make great pets and should be treated gently and responsibly. Injuries from cats are mainly bites or scratches to the head, neck or arms, and often cause puncture wounds that can become infected. Cats carry a lot of harmful bacteria on their sharp teeth and claws.

• Thoroughly wash and disinfect any cat bite or scratch, and take the child to a doctor, as a tetanus booster and antibiotics may be needed.
• Practise good hygiene by keeping children away from litter trays and from garden beds the cat uses for toileting.
• Keep cats out of a baby’s nursery so they cannot get into the cot.

Birds#

Some birds in the parrot family, including budgerigars, can carry psittacosis (parrot fever), an infection that people can catch. Symptoms are much like the flu and can include a high temperature. Children have less resistance to it than adults, so they need to take care when handling parrot-family birds. Children should always wash their hands after touching birds.

Snakes and reptiles#

Although deaths from snakebite are uncommon in many places, children should still be taught the dangers of snakes and reptiles.

• Try to avoid walking through long grass and bushland with children.
• If you do, wear enclosed protective footwear and long trousers, preferably tucked into socks, as the feet and ankles are often bitten first.
• If a snake or reptile appears, do not handle or provoke it, as this is when many bites happen. Stay as still as possible until it moves away.

If your child is bitten by a snake#

• Keep your child still and calm.
• Apply a pressure bandage and splint to the affected limb to slow the spread of venom.
• Get your child to the nearest hospital urgently.

Insects#

Insects can be fascinating for children, but they are not toys. This is especially true of bees and wasps. Make sure your child does not put insects in their mouth, to avoid infection and stings.

• When children play outside, use a suitable insect repellent or protective cream (on children over 12 months) to reduce bites.
• Leave a t-shirt on them and avoid outdoor play at night, when mosquitoes are most active.
• If you are travelling with children to a country where an insect-borne disease is common, ask your doctor for advice.
• Teach children not to disturb or provoke venomous creatures, which are more likely to attack.
• Dress children in closed shoes and long pants in bushland.
• Drink canned or bottled soft drinks through a straw, as wasps and bees are attracted to the sweetness.
• Keep children away from insect nests, and arrange for any nest to be removed safely.

Insect stings and bites#

• Keep your child still and calm.
• Remove a bee sting immediately, as all the venom is injected within about 30 seconds. Flick it out with a fingernail or the blunt edge of a knife. Do not squeeze or dig into the skin. (Bees leave a sting behind; wasps do not.)
• Wrap ice in a wet cloth and hold it on the stung area.
• If pain and swelling persist, take the child to a doctor.

Allergic reactions and anaphylaxis#

A child can have a severe, sudden allergic reaction to a sting, known as anaphylaxis. This can cause breathing difficulties and can be life threatening. If you know a child is allergic to bee, wasp or ant stings, make sure they wear a medical alert bracelet or pendant, always carry their prescribed medication, and have an anaphylaxis management plan.

If an allergic reaction occurs:

• Call your local emergency number (for example 911 in the US and Canada, 112 across the EU and many countries, 999 in the UK, or 000 in Australia) for an ambulance.
• If the child has medication for an allergic reaction, give it to them immediately.
• Stay calm and keep the child still.
• If necessary, for severe anaphylaxis, follow the basic resuscitation (CPR) guidelines.

If you suspect a poisoning, bite or sting, or a mistake with medicines, contact your local poisons information service for advice.

Key points#

• Always supervise children closely around any animal, including family pets, and separate them if you cannot.
• Teach children to treat animals gently and never to disturb one that is eating or sleeping.
• Any dog can bite; teach children to approach dogs safely and to recognise warning signs.
• Wash and disinfect any animal bite or scratch and see a doctor, as a tetanus booster and antibiotics may be needed.
• Know the first aid steps for snakebite and insect stings, and have a plan for any child known to have severe allergies.

Where to get help#