Babies and pets at home - PDF checklist
This checklist helps you prepare a home shared by a baby and a pet. It does not assess temperament, teach introductions or training, or guarantee safety or freedom from allergies. Needs depend on the species, the animal's behaviour and your baby's health. Discuss arrangements with a vet and healthcare staff; ask for an appropriate specialist when difficulties arise.
Doors and barriers need practical checks
Prepare separate areas before your baby arrives and introduce changes calmly. Dogs Trust describes using gates to restrict access, but not every barrier will stop every animal. Agree how to close them and check the arrangements when your home setup changes. HSE recommends keeping pets out of a room where a baby sleeps. A cot and baby equipment are not pet resting places. Do not add covers to the sleep space instead of separating the animal.
Active supervision and signs of discomfort
Supervision requires an adult's attention, not simply being nearby. HSE recommends that an adult hold either the baby or the pet when they are in the same area; separate them if this is not possible. Separate them too if you cannot watch and respond. Do not set up a test of the animal's reaction to your baby. RSPCA describes turning the head away, lip licking, yawning or stiffening in dogs as possible signs of discomfort. Growling calls for distance. Read the whole behaviour and situation. Signals differ between species; ask your vet about appropriate help.
Hygiene includes hands and surroundings
CDC notes that an animal that looks healthy can carry germs. Contact with its surroundings, food and waste also matters. Plan handwashing and separate storage of equipment. Do not wash cages, litter trays or bowls in a kitchen sink or bathroom handbasin. An adult should do the cleaning, with your baby kept away from the dirty area. A vet determines suitable care and prevention for the species; this checklist does not give vaccination schedules, products or treatment.
Arrangements depend on the species
CDC recommends that children under 5 avoid contact with reptiles, amphibians, poultry and rodents. This includes babies; having an adult nearby does not remove the risk of infection. Cages, tanks and other surroundings can also be contaminated. If one of these animals already lives at home, discuss care, hygiene and separation with your vet and healthcare staff. Do not apply dog-specific instructions to another species. Particular health needs of your baby call for individual arrangements.
Preparation checklist
Prepare separate spaces
- Plan closable doors or suitable barriers; check that they really prevent the animal from reaching your baby.
- Keep the pet out of the room where your baby sleeps, and do not let it use the cot or your baby's equipment.
- Prepare a quiet place for your pet to rest and eat that your baby cannot access.
- Agree who will handle daily pet care, cleaning and checks that areas remain separated.
Agree active supervision
- Never leave your baby alone with a dog, cat or other animal, even your own gentle pet.
- An adult watches and can respond; separate the baby and animal before a phone call or another distraction.
- Do not force closeness, sniffing or kissing; do not let the animal lick your baby's face or hands.
- Stop the situation and separate them at signs of discomfort; discuss concerns with a vet or behaviour specialist.
Plan hygiene and veterinary care
- Wash hands with soap and water after touching the animal, its food or equipment, and before feeding your baby.
- Keep pet food, bowls, toys and litter trays out of reach, away from the kitchen and your baby's feeding area.
- Agree arrangements for cleaning up waste and washing equipment separately, away from the kitchen and bathroom handbasin.
- Discuss the animal's health and preventive care with a vet; report illness, pain or changes in behaviour.
Questions to discuss with a professional
- How can we effectively separate areas for our animal's species?
- How can we recognise discomfort, and whom should we contact about behavioural changes?
- Does my baby's health require additional contact and hygiene arrangements?
Frequently asked questions
Can our own gentle dog or cat stay alone with our baby?
No. Knowing the animal or previous calm contact does not replace active supervision. Separate them when an adult cannot watch. This also applies while your baby is asleep.
Does a gate or clean bowls alone confirm safety?
No. A barrier must actually restrict access, and hygiene includes hands, surroundings and equipment. No tick is an assessment of the animal's behaviour or your baby's health.
Is this checklist suitable for every animal?
No. Species and situations differ in risk. Consider CDC's contact restrictions and individual arrangements. This checklist does not diagnose allergies or promise to prevent them.
Private arrangements: baby and pets
Print and complete by hand. Note responsibilities and questions for professionals. This card does not assess temperament, safety or health.
- Date and people sharing care
- Pet, species and vet contact
- Separate areas, doors and barriers
- Access arrangements for the baby's sleep room
- Supervising adult and backup
- Hygiene, food, bowls and waste: responsibilities
- Signs of discomfort and behaviour questions
- Healthcare contact and date to review arrangements
Keep this card private and update it after changes. Do not publish a photograph of it. Notes do not replace ongoing supervision, separation or individual advice.
How to use this checklist
Tick the points you have discussed or prepared and add your own arrangements. Ticking a box does not confirm safety, health status or completion of a medical procedure. Revisit the checklist as your family's needs change.
Sources and updates
- Health Service Executive (HSE) - Pets and child safety
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), NCEZID - People at Increased Risk for Illness from Animals
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), NCEZID - Ways to Stay Healthy Around Animals
- Dogs Trust - How to prepare your dog for a new baby
- Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) - Understanding a dog's body language
- NHS - Animal and human bites