Are Kids Turning Away From Pet Ownership?

According to a recent Pet Age article, there are growing concerns that children may be growing away from pet ownership. The cause? A growing infatuation with electronic gadgets, toys and Video Games.

Ken Jones, a media producer at Pet Life Radio, investigated this growing trend and searched for ways to turn this around. In the article, Jones comments that "We all know that pet hobbies that involve the keeping, raising and breeding of animals is good for kids. It teaches responsibility, discipline and encourages learning."

As a business that celebrates the incredible bond between humans and animals, we certainly hope that this trend reverses. The most important concern for us is that children will miss out on the joys that are unique to pet ownership. The comfort that a dog can offer a child that is feeling down, after a bad day or setback. A pet can cheer you up, give you strength and bring support. The laughter and excitement that comes with playing with a pet in the back yard is also irreplaceable. The licks on the face, the wags of the tail, and the snuggling that a dog can offer simply can't be replaced by a laptop, tablet, video game or electronic device.

A recent Psychology Today article also explained Why Kids With Pets Are Better Off and we couldn't agree more. Whether you have a dog, a cat or even a snake, learning to care for other living creatures is a wonderful thing. For young children, it is a great way to learn compassion, caring and love for others. 

Don't get us wrong.  We love computers (we make our living on them) and we think that electronic devices can have a central role in our lives. We can't imagine not working on a laptop, playing on a PlayStation or checking in on social media Tech gadgets are here to stay and they make our lives easier, and more fun. That's a good thing.

But technology can never, ever replace a dog and the love that only a four legged friend can bring. Children need this unconditional love and they amazing feeling that pet ownership brings. And yes, we may be just a little biased. In fact, check out our recent article

Kids & Dogs: 3 Great Reasons Why Children Need Pets. We think that a house with pets is always better than one without. With that said, we'll log off the computer now and go play with our pets.

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