Pets and babies are both our bundles of joy. They both would give us extreme happiness when we are together. However, there have been a lot of cases where dogs attack babies when they are left alone.
Back in September 2020, there was a case in Melaka where the baby lost her hand after it was bitten by her father’s dog. The incident happened after she was left alone in her cradle.
Although most cases involve dogs attacking babies, there are cases where cats are involved. It is applicable to all pet owners that education and supervision are primary to reduce these cases from happening.
Babies and Pets Don’t Mix
Pets are animals that have their own natural animal instinct. So, when cases like this happened, who should take the blame?
Is it the baby who does not even understand anything yet or the pet who cannot express their feeling verbally?
What is more saddening is that some pet owners kept on denying the fact that they just left their babies unattended with their pets.
Dogs or cats find it familiar and would not be able to understand that babies are little humans. They might feel like babies are threatening their personal space such as getting too close to the pets’ face or disturbing his mealtime.
What Should You Do as Pet Owners?
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Let the pet to familiarise with the babies/kids first
Animals have heightened senses which makes them more sensitive with smell and sounds.
If you are planning to bring your newborn back to your home, you can start by bringing his clothes first. This is to make them familiar with the smell of your newborn.
You can also train your pet with the little one’s toys to avoid them ‘battling’ with each other because of one toy.
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Train them to socialise with others
Some pets are not accustomed to having other people in the house. Therefore, you can train them to socialise more with other people, so they won’t be too shocked by the changes. Take them out for walks or introduce them to your friends.
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Always supervise your dogs
Never ever leave your pets unattended when there are babies or kids in the house. Although, they are known to be not aggressive or attack other people.
We won’t be able to expect when something would trigger them. It is important that there is always an adult near both the pet and the baby.
Parents, Do Educate Your Kids About Your Pets As Well
Nevertheless, when your kids have grown to understand things, you should start telling them what they should do and how to behave whenever they see any animals.
For kids who are afraid of the pets, you can try some of the tips shared in this article on how to combat our kids fear of pets.
It is best if you let the animal approach them slowly. Make sure to ask for the owner’s permission first if they want to pet dogs or cats outside. This is because the owner would understand their pets the most.
Lastly, if your pets have ever attacked anyone and you feel it is such a loss to give them up for adoption, you can always start to train them to behave and act accordingly. Better to be late than never.