We all love our pets. Pets are fun and part of our family. We think of our pets as a good companion and friend. They keep our homes lively but certainly do not always guarantee good health unless tended to carefully, for they can rain down illness when you are least prepared. Having pets in our lives requires certain simple measures of hygiene for our homes, our pets and us. This will help avoid as far as possible, contamination by micro-organisms often carried by animals. These germs and parasites can pass onto us without us knowing and make us ill. Our pets become an integral part of our lives and spend most of the time around the house, close to eating areas and even sometimes sleep beside children's beds. The micro-organisms carried by our pets could cause varying degrees of sickness. Consequently having a pet at home requires some simple hygiene practices not only for the animals but also for the people around them and the areas where they live. The presence of these organisms are not always noticed, as an animal may not be, or appear to be, ill. The animals could be carriers of bacteria and viruses, which can be transmitted to us by various means like touch, mouth contact, inhalation, bites and scratches. Stroking the pet or burying one's head in an animal's fur is very common. Animal fur and skin may contain allergens and parasites. You also touch objects such as animal feeding bowls or toys, previously in contact with animals. A pet dog licking your hand or your face is very common. This act helps the spread of germs very easily. Diseases can spread through the bites and scratches of the animals. Allergy related to animals is also very common. But certainly you need not worry. You can avoid all germs from making you sick by just exercising a little bit of care. We can certainly minimize these risks through responsible behaviour. With your adorable pet around you must also take some simple precautions. It is essential to disinfect a scratch or a bite from an animal and always advisable to show it to a doctor. Sleeping with the pet and letting him lick your face should be avoided. The floor areas used by the pets and their eating bowls should be kept clean. However the most important factor to be taken care of is that, after touching or playing with the pets, hands should be washed with soap and water to wash away all the germs that might have been transferred onto your hands. Experts recommend the use of antibacterial formulations like the Lifebuoy Liquid Handwash, the components of which have been proven for their superior antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus epidermis, as measured by growth retardation index (GRI) and metabolic activity retardation index (MaRI). Thus such formulations kill all the germs and leave your hands reassuringly clean. You can help yourselves and your children avoid getting sick by insisting on washing hands properly after handling your pets. Make your child aware of the need to wash hands after playing with the pets. Practicing these simple steps do not take much time or effort, but certainly offer great rewards in terms of preventing illness. Adopting the habit of hand washing can play a major role in protecting the health of your family and enabling you to enjoy your pet without worry. These simple hygiene measures will definitely not sever the special bond that you share with your pet, but will only limit the spread of pathogenic agents and preserve the health of all! Vijay Kumar