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Abstract

Children's experiences with others' pets, animal-related school assignments, movies, television, books, and visits to wildlife parks and zoos as influences on children's attitudes toward pets were investigated. 300 children between the ages of 3 and 18 yr. were individually interviewed. Analysis indicated that children with pets liked and discussed pets and had contact with others' pets, reported animal-related school assignments, enjoyed animal-related movies and television programs, read animal-related stories and texts, and enjoyed zoos and wildlife parks significantly more than children without pets. Also, boys watched animal-related TV programs and read animal-related stories and texts significantly more than did girls, and grade schoolers had contact with nonfamily pets, had animal-related school assignments, and liked pets significantly more than preschoolers or high schoolers. Only 10 or 3% of these subjects reported no contact with animals or animal-related information.

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Social and Environmental Influences on Children's Attitudes toward Pets

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