In celebration of World Animal Day on October 4th and the fight for their protection, we wanted to share with you some of the many ways in which animals light up our world and teach us to be better humans!

World Animal Day provides a great chance to discuss the importance and care of animals with your children. Its an opportunity to educate your little ones on how we can be more caring and compassionate towards our wonderful furry friends.

Welcoming a pet into your family brings with it the potential for limitless joy and happiness and a new best friend for your cherished children!

Here are just a few of the wonderful benefits of adopting a pet:

Respect

Children learn quickly that animals deserve to be treated with care and respect. Like humans they thrive most when they are loved and cherished dearly. Animals have limits just like people do and although they may enjoy interaction, sometimes they want space. Understanding an animal’s boundaries and body language is so insightful and that learned respect translates to respecting other people and their needs.

Empathy

Caring for an animal gives children the opportunity to become sensitive to the needs of others. Identifying a pet’s needs and comforting them aids children in being aware of the feelings and emotions of others. Researchers from many parts of the world studied the relationship between empathy and animal attitudes, ownership and attachment. They all came to a result that children with pets have higher levels of empathy, especially girls. Young children become interested in how their pets feel, which later extends to people.

Nurturing

By allowing your child to opportunity to take care of an animal, they in turn learn how vital it is to nurture a living creature and also how much joy that brings. Encourage your child to stroke their pet gently, be responsible for feeding and lovingly create a comfortable sleeping space for them. These are all ways which allow your child to recognise the importance of having both their needs met and the needs of another.

Self-esteem

Pets are non-judgmental and love unconditionally. Children often feel safe to express their feelings and emotions in the presence of a pet, comforted by the fact that they will not be rejected but instead loved and accepted.

Communication

Children who grow up with a pet become adept to noticing signs of fear, happiness and sadness through their body language. This later translates to relationships with friends and family which allows your child to develop emotional intelligence.

Appreciation of Nature

Through the adoption of a pet, your child is able to gain insight into both wild and domestic animals. By observing their behaviour children learn about animal instincts and intelligence. Allowing your child to be immersed in nature and all of its gifts creates feelings of awe, enchantment and magic!

If adoption of a pet isn’t possible for your family create opportunities for your child to be close to animals in their natural habitat. Take an autumnal picnic in the forest with nuts to feed the squirrels or bread to feed the ducks. Animals are wondrous teachers and their appreciation will certainly contribute to the health and happiness of both you and your children.

For more information on World Animal Day and how you and your little ones can make a difference visit their website.

https://www.worldanimalday.org.uk

As always, we would love to hear from you.  Please tag us in your animal adorning pictures on Facebook or Instagram and introduce us to the treasured animals in your life!