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Business & Tech

Laguna Beach Moms Talk: Pets Are People Too!

Every household is different, but the positive mix of pets and kids is real.

Must love dogs ... cats ... frogs ... snakes ... and ... fish!

That was the motto at our house. Pets were family. As we moved through the years, our pet list mushroomed to three cats, two dogs, one small snake, one iguana, one saltwater tank of fish, one white lab rat, and one little frog.

Of course, they weren't all there at the same time—it just seemed that way. 

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Every household is different, but the positive mix of pets and kids is real. There is much happiness to be had. If you think a pet would fit in at your house, do the homework, and go for it!

Look at your schedule, and your family’s temperament. Check for any pet allergies, and consider the space needed. Think about who will do what—care, feeding, trips to the vet. And most important, scope it all out before you involve your kids, to avoid unworkable pets and broken hearts.

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Also ask your friends, and check around, to make sure you know what’s available. This is the pet version of preparation, just like you did for your kids with baby strollers and car seats. When it seems right, go looking with the kids, or, if they are quite young, make the best choice for them.

There are services and supplies to help you: Laguna Beach Patch’s Foster a Furry Friend column is a good start. Plus , , , and . Also check out , , and . And don’t miss the . 

What to expect next? Pets will add a new layer to your life. I can still see my oldest, when he was four, walking down the hall, cradling a black kitten in each arm. Snoopy and Midnight were two furry little six-week-old charmers from the same litter.

Later we added Bandit—well, really, he added us. My oldest son insisted Bandit followed him home. Bandit was a smart little spaniel mix with a really big heart, who adored fried chicken when he could get it! When we could not find his original home, he was appropriately named, and welcomed aboard.

Our story had many chapters. Today, Jeeves and Squeaky are the stars. Jeeves is a huge marmalade-colored cat with perfect white paws that really do look like butler’s gloves. Squeaky is a small but mighty smoke-grey cat who “squeaks” a lot.

Pets are programmed for laughter and love. They teach kids how to care about and for others. Depending on your kids’ ages, you can assign some of the care and feeding, cleanup, restocking supplies, and baths, to them.

If they are too young to do it all, they can be your assistants, helping with the bath, going on the walk, and monitoring food bowls. Be sure to talk about playtime and respect, too. Kids need to know there is no roughness, and they need to learn how to handle the new pet.

Bottom line? In no time at all, your new pet will have you and your family tucked neatly between his little paws.

If you take the leap and get that new pet, share the excitement and let us know. Or, you may already have pets with funny stories to tell and wonderful pictures. You could be an inspiration for another family. You can post them here and we will share them on Laguna Beach Moms Talk.

Quick Picks for things to do in and near Laguna Beach:

Explore the Laguna Wilderness Park schedule. Coming up Friday, August 5: A morning stroll to Barbara’s Lake for ages 8 and up. Sunday, August 7: Family Sun Day Fun Day, 9-11 a.m.

Festival of the Arts Junior Art Exhibit and Youth Art Education Days. The Junior Art Exhibit is on daily through August 31. The art education classes are happening now through August 26 for ages 7-12, 11 a.m.-noon. Reservations are available now. 

Suggestion for fall school projects. Plan to attend and find out more about the tribute to 9-11 sculpture for .

Rodin’s Figures at Laguna College of Art and Design. Now through September 23.

Bugs Bunny at the Symphony. Saturday, August 6. Bugs meets the Pacific Symphony at Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, Irvine.

 

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