Pet Care For Kids: Teaching At An Early Age Helps Kids Learn Responsibility Or Prevent Diseases

One good way to teach children about being responsible is to let them care for pets. If they start caring for another living being early on, they will be able to develop routines and good habits, which they can adapt to other aspects of their life when they become adults. Proper pet care also teaches the kids about the consequences of neglecting animals. Bayer Animal Health has partnered with a well-loved Scholastic children's book character, Clifford the Big Red Dog, to raise awareness about pet care among the children.

This month, Bayer Animal Health has been going around schools and communities in Miami, Florida with Clifford the Big Red Dog to promote and share best pet care tips. Because May has been tagged as National Lyme Disease Awareness Month and National Pet Month, the timing couldn't be more perfect.

Without proper pet care, animals could develop fleas and ticks that could affect gravely affect the health of the pet.  In humans, bites from fleas and ticks could lead to Lyme disease and other vector-borne diseases. According to the Center for Disease Control, at least 30,000 cases of Lyme disease are reported every year in the U.S., when this can be preventable.

Check out: 'Clifford Goes to the Doctor' to learn how to prevent fleas, ticks & heartworms! #HealthyPet @Scholastic pic.twitter.com/6NdNx8AEXb

— BayerAnimalHealth US (@Bayer4Pets) May 12, 2016

Aside from teaching the kids on pet care, they children also given a book that contains tips to prevent diseases via "Clifford Goes to the Doctor."  "Pets can teach children valuable lessons when it comes to responsibility," said Dr. Dan Carey, the head veterinarian at the Bayer Animal Health in a press release emailed to Parent Herald.

He emphasized that kids, no matter what age, can already be taught about proper pet care and it's actually good for them to learn some about dealing with pets early. Dr. Carey also advised parents to not hesitate in discussing their pet concerns to a veterinarian, especially when it comes to managing and preventing parasites. They should also consider using products that could kill as well as repel these parasites.