Animal advocates hope to break barriers

Parents' misconceptions sometimes cause children to fear dogs and cats

Tianjin's animal welfare organizations held the Fourth Homeless Animals Adoption Day on May 25, aiming to help stray animals and find homes for them.

Organizers planned the event around Children's Day in the hope of encouraging children to get close to cats and dogs.

"Some parents likely tell children to stay away from animals, saying they carry diseases and would be aggressive," said Zhao Jing, a devoted volunteer with Eryi Pet Yard, an animal shelter in Tianjin. "In my experience, few dogs or cats are aggressive unless humans provoke them first."

Parents' misconceptions might lead children to refrain from fully engaging with their pets, said Zhao, a kindergarten teacher. "Most children in my class stay away from animals though they are obviously interested in them."

She has convinced her kindergarten director to allow students to make frequent visits to Eryi Pet Yard.

Liu Hao, who attended the event with her 6-year-old son, said she is trying to make him a caring person by encouraging him to care for the family's dog.

"My son looks after his dog just as we do with him," she said. "He gives it food, keeps it company and plays with it."

But she still worries about the unpredictability of other animals and the possibility they might have communicable diseases.

"I can't put my worries aside even if I am assured there is no danger or risk. I can hardly gamble my son's safety on animals he doesn't know," she said.

Niu Zhonghui, who has a 12-year-old girl and is also the director of Tianjin University Kindergarten, said that although she wants her daughter to be friendly with animals and care for them, she is still cautious.

"She is only allowed to throw food to stray cats and dogs from a distance. After all, it's anybody's guess whether these unhygienic animals carry diseases or not," she said.

When asked whether her daughter might grow up to be indifferent toward animals if she was not allowed to get close to them, Niu disagreed.

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