Owning pets entails a lot of responsibility

Dogs tend to get a bad rap from people who are not dog people. Cat lovers are not fond of dogs and vice versa. I cannot call myself a dog person or a cat person. I think both are cute but from a distance. I just feel that neither animal is completely hygienic when you begin to consider letting them live inside your home. This is because these animals roam the streets bare pawed, they relieve themselves outside and they have their noses and mouths in everything outdoors. It doesn’t matter what that outdoor thing is, they’ll lick, eat it, bite it or bring it home to you. These pets will then roam around the house, sitting on sofas, the beds and climbing on top of the kitchen counters. Even though dogs tend not to climb kitchen tops they do go everywhere else.

One thing that humans have allowed dogs to do, and it’s something that cats tend not to do, is to let them lick their faces and mouths; even the faces and mouths of their babies who have virtually no immune system. Scientists have analysed the saliva of both cats and dogs and have found that the saliva of dogs naturally contains microscopic worms. No amount of deworming rids their saliva of these worms and when a dog licks anything these worms are then transferred to whatever they lick, including the owner's mouth.

We’ve seen babies and cats interacting. And we’ve seen babies and dogs interacting. When families adopt cats and dogs, they feel that the pet is now part of the family, which is understandable, since dogs especially can be so loving. The pet becomes a child to them and a sibling to their children. But even if that animal is considered a member of the family, it is an animal after all with animal instincts. There is no telling when a pet dog will turn into an animal in the real sense of the word. There have been incidences of dogs suddenly biting their owners for no apparent reason.

But sometimes the pet behaves in a loving manner but that loving manner can turn into a serious health hazard. Some weeks ago a lady in England accidentally scratched herself on something. It was a relatively minor scratch. Her dog then licked the wound. Within hours she went into shock and suffered multiple organ failure. She was rushed to a hospital where she underwent removal of multiple extremities. Upon examination of her blood work, the doctors told her that the likely cause of her serious condition was not the scratch but the dog’s saliva. If she had been licked by a cat, she may not have gone into this shock since it has been proven that a cat’s saliva is ‘clean’.

Owning a pet comes with a great deal of responsibility, especially when you walk the dog. You come across other people, lots of children and other dogs too. It is the owner’s responsibility to keep the dog in control by keeping him on a leash that is short enough for the owner to use to regain control if necessary. Whilst out walking, even the smallest dog barking fiercely can scare little children. Keeping a tight hold on the leash makes certain that the dog does not run off. Even keeping the dog indoors has a major responsibility in making sure that he doesn’t dart out of the house or flat as soon as the door is opened. Many dogs do run out like that with the owners running after them.

A dog roaming around in the streets without a leash is not only at risk of being struck by a moving vehicle but the dog himself can scare someone who is not a dog person or is not used to being around them. And lastly, it is so important to make sure you pick up after your dog when you’re out. It’s unsightly to see a dog’s excrement lying in the middle of the pavement or amongst shrubbery. In fact, it’s not just unsightly but a serious health hazard to both children and adults if they accidentally step on it or touch it.