Those of us who live with a dog have seen how, when we're out for a walk, a father picks up his child to protect them from the "unpredictable animal," or a grandmother walking with her granddaughter asks us to put the dog on a leash after seeing it running and enjoying itself in the park. Are these fears justified? Do they really help the child?
Nunca he visto a un perro atacar a un niño, ni siquiera tras una provocación. Sí que les he visto morderlos e incluso yo sufrí una pequeña herida en los tobillos cuando era pequeño. Pero estas mordeduras nunca han sido graves y el perro o la perra las han hecho jugando, exactamente igual que puede ocurrir cuando juegan dos niños juntos. Es muy raro que un perro ataque a un humano a no ser que otro humano le haya educado para hacerlo o que haya sido en defensa propia. Y es muy frecuente que los perros traten de acercarse a los niños para jugar con ellos o pedirles cariño.
When adults keep their children away from harmless animals like dogs, even with good intentions, they are not helping them. They are creating fears in their children about a danger that only exists in their minds and an unjustified rejection of individuals of other species.
Numerous psychological studies demonstrate that living with an animal of another species can help children develop their intelligence and empathy. For this reason, parents concerned about their children's development often choose to get a pet.
This is the worst possible way to begin a relationship with an animal, because the moment the animal is purchased, it is already being treated as a resource, as something, not as someone. You can't instill in a child values of respect for an individual that has been bought as if it were a product, sometimes even as a birthday or Christmas present. It is often these families who realize, after some time, that the dog, cat, or turtle has needs and end up looking for the quickest way to get rid of this "gift" that has become obsolete.
There are much better alternatives for both the child and the animal. All animal shelters have their kennels overflowing, primarily with dogs and cats. They are desperately seeking foster homes, families who can temporarily care for animals they can no longer look after until they find a permanent adopter.
These families provide support to the animal and the shelter, but they are also a valuable tool for fostering positive values between the child and the dog. The family can explain to the child that the dog (or cat, or rabbit, etc.) needs a loving home. This helps the child understand that animals of other species also have needs. They can explain that the family has decided to provide a temporary home to help the animal and that the child should also try to do their part. Soon, the child and the dog will form a bond of friendship that will help break down the speciesist prejudices that society often encourages in young children.
Before deciding to become a foster home, families should keep in mind that the dog is not a tool for educating their child, and that the interests of both the child and the dog must be considered equally. Otherwise, it is impossible to instill values of equality in the child, while at the same time making it impossible to treat the dog with the respect it deserves.
It's important to keep in mind that, while the experience can help your child develop responsibility, the dog's care should always be the responsibility of adults. If a family gives their child a pet and tells them that caring for it is their responsibility, then those adults are just as incapable of caring for the dog as the child.
The family and the animal must be a good match. Before placing an animal in a foster home, the shelter will conduct a background check on the family. They need information such as why they want to foster, the care they will provide, the time they have available, and so on. Similarly, not all dogs are suitable for every family. People tend to choose puppies. But physical appearance should be the last criterion when choosing someone to share a part of your life with. Puppies usually require a lot of attention and care. To begin with, it's advisable to foster an adult dog that has already lived in a home.
It's true that those of us who try to help in this way have to face a difficult part of the experience: the moment of saying goodbye. But even this moment can be educational, both for the children and for ourselves. Although it's hard, we must learn to accept that they will no longer live with us and find joy in knowing that we have helped them and that they are now with a permanent family with whom they will happily spend the rest of their lives.