IT'S a plea parents will recognise, but having a pet really is good for your child.

Never mind the smelly wet coats of dogs, the clawing of cats on carpets or the time spent painstakingly cleaning out the fish tank - science has proved it has its benefits.

Apparently, kids with pets spend more time in school than those without. They also have more stable immune systems.

The research found that the benefits were mostly found in five to eight-year-olds - presumably kids grew out of their pets by the age of nine.

Apparently, a pet is worth up to 18 half-days in school compared to their non-pet owning counterparts.

Pets play a huge part in children's lives. I remember my first rabbits - Silverstone and Mixie. They were a source of constant joy, especially when they would burrow under the fence and into our neighbour's garden.

Whether they played any part in boosting my immune system or attendance is debatable - but they did give me a sense of responsibility.

Pets can broaden a child's life by giving them something extra to do. Cleaning out the hamster cage or walking the dog in the rain might seem like such a chore but it makes you appreciate all the good things a pet can provide.

Authors often recall events in their own lives in books, the same can be said about pets and children - if there is something positive going on in their life it will enrich it.

Solution

Scientists reckon that the main benefit of having a pet is that it boosts the immune system.

After so many stories of children not being exposed to any danger and living in a cocoon, it seems having a cat could be the solution.

The results appear to support the "dirty hypothesis" which argues that too much cleanliness early in life can leave the immune system weakened later on.

It has been suggested as one reason for soaring rates of childhood asthma.

Sharing a home with a dog or cat may increase exposure to infections and "prime" the immune system so that it works more effectively.

But where there are swings there are also roundabouts, and parents keen not to bow down to a persistent child can use this as the ace up their sleeve.

Being too close to a pet can cause health problems in children.

One of the biggest risks is the roundworm Toxicara canis which infects dogs and can cause anything from stomach ache to eye damage.

And despite the dangers, three out of 10 children in the study admitted sharing food with their pets, while 21 per cent let their pets lick their fingers.