Your furry friend is part of the family, but that doesn’t mean you don’t need to ensure that your children understand safety rules for interacting with pets. After 30 years of caring for Cincinnati’s pets, TLC Pet Care Centers knows pets, while loving and loyal, can also be fiercely protective and easily spooked. This can cause injury to your child and/or your pet if safety rules aren’t in place and precautions aren’t taken.

Here are a few tips for child safety if you have pets around:

• Don’t Pet Unfamiliar Animals: Teach your children not to pet strange animals or strays. Always ask the owner if their animal likes to be petted first.
• Be Gentle: If you have a cat or dog, your child should learn to be gentle, so as not to provoke unwanted responses from your pet.
• Let Sleeping Dogs Lie: When a pet is eating or sleeping, make sure children know not to bother them or wake them up abruptly. No one, not even animals, likes to be startled awake.
• Get Shots: Make sure your pet is up to date on their shots. This will prevent the spread of disease if your child is scratched or bitten while interacting with your pet. Your veterinarian can help with this.
• Spay Or Neuter: It’s important to spay or neuter your pet. This is not only helpful in reducing unwanted strays but also calms your pet.

These are just a few tips on child safety when it comes to the pets in your family. TLC Pet Care Centers knows how important your pet’s well-being is and your family’s. This is why these veterinarians have dedicated themselves to providing high-quality animal care for your furry family members.

If you do find yourself in a situation where your pet needs animal care, contact the best animal hospital in Cincinnati: TLC Pet Care Centers. You can speak to a technician by calling (513) 683-2300 for the East Cincinnati location and (513) 825-4011 for the West Cincinnati location. You can also visit their website to see a list of their animal care services.