With an increasing number of families living in rental accommodation, fewer children are able to keep or be involved in the care of a pet. This is a shame as young children often enjoy being in close contact with animals and there are huge learning opportunities to be gained from the experience. This is one area where early years settings can step in.
While settings have an important role to play in ensuring that the next generation know how to care for, respect and stay safe around animals, any decisions about having a nursery pet or visits from pet owners must give priority to animal welfare – the RSPCA strongly discourages having school pets because of the potential stress to the animals.
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