It doesn’t get much cuter than a photo of a baby with a dog … or a cat … or a bunny. But beyond the Instagram fodder, growing up with a pet can be very advantageous for a child.
“Pets play a huge part in our lives and can have a positive impact on a child’s mental and emotional health,” said Gina McDowell, a licensed professional clinical counselor and behavioral health clinical educator at the Big Lots Behavioral Health Pavilion at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, pet adoptions and sales have soared, so it’s clear