Fur Real Safety: A Guide to Babysitting with Pets

Get the Scoop!

Before you accept a babysitting job, make sure you aren’t allergic or afraid of pets and they will not distract you from caring for the children. The more you know about family pets and their needs, the smoother your babysitting time will be. Before you accept a job with pets, ask:

• Who are the pets? (Names, breeds, ages, personalities – and yes, nicknames too!)
• Is there any history of aggression? If a pet has shown aggression, it’s safest to decline the job.
• What’s their feeding schedule? What, when, and how much?
• Where should they stay while I’m babysitting?
• What helps calm them down if they get anxious?
• Where are the leashes, crates, or gates?

Get Kids to Safety

Always supervise children at all times around family pets. Sometimes pets get overexcited, scared, or protective. Here’s what to do:

• Prevent this behavior by always letting pets see you and sniff you before you pet them.
• Be a tree. Stand still, arms crossed, look at your feet.
• Be a rock. Curl up, cover your head and neck.
• Put something solid between the pet and the kids (door, gate, big piece of furniture).
• Use a jacket, pillow, or backpack as a shield.
• Move kids into another room if a pet gets too rowdy.
• Stay between the pet and the children if it’s safe.

If a Cat Acts Aggressive

• Give them space! A cornered cat is an unhappy cat.
• Watch for warning signs (hissing, tail flicking, ears back, crouching low).
• Block scratches with a pillow, jacket, or bag.
• If they latch on, gently push them to loosen their grip.
• Move behind a door or onto a higher spot.
• Wash scratches or bites right away with soap and water to prevent infection.

If a Dog Acts Aggressive

• Stay calm! Being calm and quiet can help settle them down.
• Avoid eye contact (dogs can see it as a challenge).
• Speak softly. Don’t yell or make sudden noises.
• Never run! It can make them chase.
• If bitten, don’t pull away. Push a jacket, bag, or sleeve into their mouth to make them release.
• Slow back away toward an exit.

If you or a child you’re babysitting is bitten or scratched by a family pet, wash the area with soap and water and call the parent immediately. If the skin is broken, the child should see a doctor.

The Bare Necessities

1. Remember your first job is to care for the children and keep them safe.
2. Know where pet supplies are before parents leave.
3. Leave pets alone when they’re eating, sleeping, or caring for puppies or kittens.
4. Never tease or play rough with pets.
5. Practice “Be a Tree” and “Be a Rock” with the kids.
6. In an emergency, call the parents for help or call 9-1-1 for serious and urgent injuries.

The Girl Scout Gold Award is the highest award that a Senior or Ambassador Girl Scout (grades 9–12) can earn. To become a Gold Award Girl Scout, a girl identifies an issue that’s important to her, then develops and carries out an innovative and sustainable solution with measurable impact.