Health Tip: Keep Kids Safe Around Pets

Help prevent illness from handling animals

July 20, 2009 RSS Feed Print

(HealthDay News) -- Pets can be adored members of a loving family. But it's important to keep youngsters safe and healthy when playing with their furry friends.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers these suggestions:

Never allow children age 5 or younger to play with pets without adult supervision.
Avoid having children kiss family pets. Also try to keep baby's unwashed hands out of the mouth after the infant has touched an animal.
Always wash a child's hands carefully with soap and water after he or she touches an animal.
Parents should always wash hands after touching pets too, particularly before feeding baby.