For many young children growing up, living with a pet was the ultimate dream. Having something to play with and cuddle with all the time is the perfect solution to those long and boring days and nights when everyone is busy. While some children have had the pleasure of growing up with all kinds of pets, many kids don’t know what having an animal in their household feels like.
My whole family, including myself, are allergic to cats and dogs, so I haven’t had the opportunity to live with a pet. Sure I’ve had the occasional goldfish (R.I.P Jerry) and even a hamster at one point—however, I can’t help but wonder what it would have been like to grow up with a dog or cat in my childhood. Many of my friends have had numerous amounts of pets, including everything from a cockatoo to a barn full of horses, but how have their experiences in childhood differed from mine?
The purpose of this editorial is not to point out whether or not growing up with pets makes you a better person than those who did not, but rather, how being surrounded by animals at a young age can influence your personality and character in unique ways. That being said, it is important to remember that having pets during childhood is not a necessary condition for having empathy towards animals and others.
Since I personally did not grow up with a cat or a dog during childhood, take what I’m about to say with a grain of salt. Those who have grown up with pets have a fundamentally different experience and orientation towards animals. Whether it’s having your dog to play with when everyone else is making you upset, or chilling with your cat while watching Netflix, it would seem that having a consistent animal companion promotes and encourages empathy and inclusivity at a young age. Specifically, having a special and complex relationship with an animal during your formative years teaches young children how to be nurturing and kind.
Not only do children grow up with pets in their home, but in some places, taking care of a pet was also integrated into the elementary school system. By making young students each have the opportunity to take a designated class pet home for the day (or week), responsibility and consequences become reinforced. If one student does not properly take care of the animal, the consequences are straightforward. By placing a living thing into a very environment where young children are learning, growing, and interacting with one another, young students are able to better gain a sense of empathy and responsibility.
In a New York Times blog post, Dr. Perri Klass wrote about the ability of pets to help children who have been traumatized. Specifically, Klass mentions how various researchers in the pediatric field have been asking questions about the role pets can have in child development.
“The research is still limited, but the questions are intriguing, as scientists bring rigor to the study of emotional and psychological effects of pet ownership, along with traditional pediatric concerns of allergies, bites and infections,” wrote Klass.
While Klass acknowledges the potential benefits of raising a child in a household with a pet, he also recognizes how it may not be optimal for some families.
“Pets affect so many children in so many ways—immune systems, developing social skills, exercise patterns, family circumstances. The effects may be positive, but it’s also true that families who choose to add a pet to the mix may be those who feel at least a small margin of comfort in income, living space, family organization and infrastructure,” concluded Klass.
While the relationship between pets and childhood is prevalent in scientific discussion, the influence animals can have in early childhood is apparent all throughout campus. With the OVC nearby and an affluent science program, the University of Guelph is full of students who have been exposed to animals in a household and academic setting. Katherine Hobson, a recent animal biology undergraduate at the University of Guelph, commented on how growing up with animals has influenced her.
“There’s a ton of studies showing that pets help kids cope better with different traumas,” said Hobson. “Growing up with pets is definitely the reason I wanted to study animal biology—they also taught me a huge amount about responsibility.”
For university students, having a pet during school can provide a sense of intimacy, safety and responsibility in an often hectic and stressful time period. Having a pet offers something familiar to an individual, and offers the ability for you to effectively express feelings of anger and stress in a healthy way.
It is apparent that growing up with or without a pet reveals the various ways that humans in general can orient themselves to animals and others. While I haven’t had many encounters with animals aside from the occasional zoo visit, I feel that my own orientation to animals is largely based around what I see and read. This may not be an entirely bad thing for some. For others, growing up with pets in a household has created life-long relationships and incredibly intimate memories. So whether you grew up on a farm, or are allergic to most furry things, it is important to recognize that different exposure to animals can cultivate unique perspectives.
About
The Ontarion publishes independent, student-produced news, opinion, and commentary for University of Guelph students so that they can make informed decisions in their lives. To do this, The Ontarion provides learning opportunities and training in journalism, media production, leadership, board governance, and other aspects of nonprofit news.
The Ontarion is the University of Guelph’s independent student newspaper. It began in 1951 as part of the Ontario Agricultural College and then began to represent the entire University of Guelph once it amalgamated in 1964. The Ontarion incorporated in May 1970 as The Ontarion, Inc., a not-for-profit corporation registered with the province of Ontario.