Choosing right pet is a family decision

Our son is 8 years old and has been asking for a pet. What animal do you recommend for families who have never had pets before?

This is a great question, for which there is no right or wrong answer. First, selecting the right pet should be a family decision. Every pet requires a certain amount of commitment, so there needs to be a balance between your time, energy and finances. You also need to consider allergies and asthma. Remember that the responsibility for the safety of a child and a pet fall on the parents. Naturally curious and rambunctious, children are not always calm and gentle around animals, while certain species or genders ofanyanimal can scratch or bite if provoked. All animals require some level of commitment, although dogs require more than most. However, as it's the Year of the Rabbit, bunnies are becoming very popular and make wonderful first pets.They are cute and cuddly, usually well tempered and lots of fun.However, rabbits aren't recommended for very small children as they require gentle handling and are easily frightened. An adult should always be the rabbit's primary caretaker and should supervise any interactions between their children and the animal.

I take my children to the local park every morning to play, but I'm always concerned about the number of dogs that are running around with no leash and no muzzle. Don't dog owners have a responsibility to keep their pets under control?