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Pet animals have been integral part of human civilizations from time immemorial. Having them at home can be a great value especially for kids as it encourages virtues of compassion and care. Meanwhile, some individuals are of the opinion that they pose health risks and can be hazardous. In this essay I will discuss both the sides and give my opinion.
On one hand, taking care of pet animals inculcates the values of care, compassion in children, furthermore helping them to empathize with their needs without communication through language. This can help in development of emotional quotient of the young ones. To illustrate, it has been noted in a comparative scientific study that kids growing up a pet or pets are better emotionally equipped to deal with situations as adults , than those who did not possess them at during their younger days. Some domestic animals like dogs can also act as guards alerting the owner to any intruders.
On the other hand, they can also bring along some risks like physical danger to small infants in the form of bites or even threat to life if not well supervised by a responsible adult. Animals can be carriers of various diseases and infections, which can spread to humans if the animals are not vaccinated and timely taken medical attention is not sought. For example, there are many cases of animal scabies which are contracted from dogs and cats, which can cause enormous suffering for the family.
Though there are many risks associated with domesticating animals at homes, I personally agree to the opinion that having them is more advantageous to the overall upbringing of the young people and cultivates good habits and virtues.
