1. This brochure is intended to be a very general
assessment of pets and their effects on the
social and emotional development of children.
We are NOT experts in this field and we advise
you to consider our research as only
supplementary to your own.
Factors to take into consideration that may
result in variable results include the breed of
dog/cat you choose as well as potential
allergies you and/or your child may have.
If you would like to know more,
please refer to the list of resources above.
You may also contact us at: PETDUCATION@GMAIL.COM.
“PETDUCATE” YOUR CHILDREN!
OUR LETTER TO YOU
Dear Parents/Readers,
We are currently students at the
University of California, Berkeley and we
would like to let you know about some
helpful information in your consideration of
whether to get a dog or a cat as a pet.
Let this be a source of your education, a.k.a.
PETDUCATION!
This brochure will guide you through the
benefits of having dogs or cats as pets for
your children and their healthy development.
Through research, we have found that there
are three main E’s to keep in mind
when considering why caring for a cat or dog
is nurturing and beneficial for your child.
Pets provide:
EMOTIONAL SUPPORT (INDIVIDUAL BENEFITS)
EMPATHY DEVELOPMENT (SOCIAL BENEFITS)
EXERCISE (HEALTH BENEFITS)
Enjoy! We sincerely hope you find the pet that
is right for you and your family.
Respectfully yours,
JohannChristineAlcaraz,
JohnKnox,
JoyceLee,
StevenLee,
DarianMcCrackin,
andYuanyueXu
RESOURCES
How Animals Affect Us: Examining the Influence of
Human-Animal Interaction on Child Development
and Human Health
— edited by Peggy McCardle, Sandra McCune,
James A. Griffin, and Valerie Maholmes
ISBN-10: 143380865X
Child Development and the Human-Companion
Animal Bond
— an article by Gail F. Melson
found in American Behavioral Scientist
September 2003 vol.47 no.1 p. 31-39
Differential Effects of Pet Presence and Pet-
Bonding on Young Children
— an article by R.H. Poresky and C. Hendrix
found in Psychological Reports
August 1990 vol.67 no.1 p. 51-54
Pets and Human Development
— authored by Boris M. Levinson
ISBN-10: 0398023581

2. STRESS BUFFER
☺ Pets are therapeutic sources of
stress relief for children.
☺ Studies show that children experience
less behavioral distress when a dog is-
present vs. when one is not.
☺ Pets induce calming effects.
SECURITY BLANKET
COMPANIONSHIP
◊ Children gain assertiveness and
independence through having a pet as a
companion and/or protective figure.
◊ Good intervention strategy for children
suffering from low self-esteem.
◊ Pets help ease attachment problems
and reduce separation anxiety by providing
emotional support while primary caregiver
is absent.
SOCIALIZATION
■ Children exhibit more openness to
forming relationships with others
(from loving parents/siblings
to loving other people)
■ Bonding and exercising caregiving with
the pet helps build empathy & altruistic
behaviors that can translate into other
contexts and situations:
□ Classroom □ Playground □ Etc.
► Findings showed
“ s i g n i f i c a n t
correlations between
the children’s bonds
with their pet
animals and their
social competency
(comfort, ease, and
manner in which they interact with others) and
empathy scores”. (Poresky and Hendrix, 1990)
►Pets provide a connection to nature and can
teach children respect for other living things.
MEASURING
E M P A T H Y
Proportion of children and their parents who were overweight/
obese according to dog ownership: from the Children’s Leisure
ActivitiesStudy(CLASS).2001.DatafromSalmonetal.(2010).
☼ An active pet to
follow around
promotes activity and
lessens risks posed by
a sedentary lifestyle.
☼ Babies tend to develop motor skills
and locomotion quickly with the
presence of an active pet. For example,
crawling is initiated faster from the
desire to be with/play with the pet.
BUILDINGHEALTHYRELATIONSHIPS.
FORMINGHEALTHYHABITS.
HEALTHYFEELINGS,HAPPYKIDS.
...younger children whose family
owned a dog were 50% less
likely to be overweight or obese
than were those who did not own
a dog.
(Timperio, Salmon, et al., 2008)
“...a study of 3 year-old children found that
pets ‘provide emotional assurance in times of
stress’ and ‘even quite young children form
strong emotional attachments to companion
animals.’ (Melson, Peet, and Sparks, 1998)