Letting your kids have some pets is a great idea. It teaches them how to be responsible and how to take proper care of those who depend on them. Pets can be a valuable companion too, and they can bring a lot of joy into the lives of children. But if one or all of your children have allergies then that might be a problem. The hair shed by cats and dogs which are the most common pets are one of the most common triggers of allergy today. That does not mean that your children will have to grow up without having some form of pet that they can take care of. All of this simply means that you need to be more creative in thinking of a new pet for your children. In order to give you some ideas, here are some of best pets for kids with allergies:
Dogs- It is no wonder why dogs are the most popular pets. They are loyal, friendly, playful, but the hair that they shed can serve as a trigger for allergy. There are some low allergenic breeds however. That means they shed a lot less hair than the other breeds of dogs. Portuguese water dogs, Chinese crested, and the Wheaten terrier are just some of the dog breeds that belong to this category.
Cats- When cats lick their fur the saliva eventually dries up and that leaves molecules that can be released into the air, which can cause allergic reactions. The solution is to get a hairless cat. The problem is that hairless cats like the Sphinx are a lot more expensive than regular types of cat.
Reptiles- If you want a pet for your child that is totally hypoallergenic then reptiles are the best choices. Turtles, snakes, lizards can be kept inside a separate tank which makes them easy to maintain and clean. They don’t shed fur or release anything into the air that might cause allergic reactions. These kinds of pets can also teach your child a lot about animals and their behaviour. Though it is important to give these pets lots of room. Keeping a lizard or snake or turtle in a small vivarium is not nice for them and is just a way to keep them captive. You should give them ample room to move about in a large area.
Fish- Another hypoallergenic type of pet are fishes. Keeping an aquarium inside your house can be a great experience for your kids. You can even let your children keep the aquarium in their room and let them take care of the fish. There are a lot of different types of fish that can be kept as pets and you can let your children have their choice. The great thing is that you never have to worry about your kid’s allergies with any of them.
These are just some of the choices that you have when it comes to pets for kids with allergies. Whatever type of pet that you choose just be sure that you are not exposing your children to other hazards. And don’t go for exotic pets. Obtaining them from the wild is often cruel and environmentally unsound.