All animals have potential health and safety risks, when keeping an animal as a pet at Clubland we ensure that the animals are free of disease and are vaccinated as they should be.
The supervisor at each site will have the local vet’s number if applicable.
If an animal that is kept as a pet at Clubland becomes unwell then they will be taken back to the supervisor’s house. The children will help the member of staff to clean the animal following health and safety procedures weekly and will help with feeding the animal daily. The animal’s food and water will be prepared away from where the children’s food is prepared.
The children will be supervised at all times when handling animals and parents will be told if animals are going to be onsite so the staff can be made aware of children’s additional needs when coming into contact with animals.
Follow these general pet hygiene tips to reduce risk of infection
- Wash your hands thoroughly. Always use an antibacterial soap after handling your pets (this is essential before preparing food).
- Teach children to always wash their hands. You could wipe their hands with a cleaning wipe, especially before they eat anything.
- Make sure children stay away from dog, cat, fox faeces. Don’t let children play around a litter tray and stay clear of dog litter bins at the park.
- Check that your pets are in good health. Immunisations should be up-to-date. Regular check-ups at the vets can also spot any possible infections.
- Keep your pet’s fur clean. This may simply involve cleaning their paws if they've dug up any soil or a thorough shampoo after swimming in the local pond.
