How do I know when my child is mature and responsible enough to have a pet to care for on his own?

This question made me smile! Well, in order to know if your child is going to be responsible to take care of a pet, you could tell him/her to pass a “testing period”. The child could either take care of a fake baby -there are babies for new parents who cry when they want to eat, poop, sleep- or be responsible of anything similar. It may sounds silly but it would be really helpful. Of course a dog doesn’t have so many needs as a baby, however both you and your child could see how ready is the child to take such a responsibility. Good luck ;)

Having a pet is a big deal for a family. It's important to know that the pet will be well taken care of, especially when you're not around. As someone who owns 10 pets in total, a really important factor in making this decision is cleanliness. Pets have to have a clean environment (places to sleep, litter boxes, etc.) Grades can also be a useful thing to look at, as it can show commitment. Does your child do things even when they don't want to? Sometimes a dog needs to go out or a cat needs to be fed, even though your child may not feel like doing it.