"Mom I want a cat," or "Mom I want a dog," or "Mom I want a…" are common words that parents may hear from their children more than once. However, there are many arguments（争论）for and against children owning pets.
The first argument that supports pet ownership by children is that they help to keep children company. When children come home from school, pets are always there to greet them. They love children and always want to play. As a result, children will be less likely to experience loneliness. They will also help to keep children active as they will need to be walked and played with every day.
Secondly, owning a pet encourages children to learn new responsibilities（责任）. Pets need to be looked after and be taken care of every day. Children will learn different skills that they can use later in life. For example, washing and feeding pets are basic skills to learn. Learning these responsibilities will make sure that children will be able to look after themselves, and possibly their children one day.
On the other hand, some pets can be dangerous. Some dogs, for example, are likely to bite, and children may become scared of animals as a result of this happening to them. Cats also look very soft and lovely, but they do have very sharp claws. If they are treated in the wrong way, cats can use their claws to hurt others.
In addition, pets need a great deal of maintenance（维护）. Many pets need to be often exercised and bathed. As a result of this, children may pay less attention to their studies because they are too busy worrying about their pets and its well being.
A further argument against pet ownership is that pets are costly; buying food and maintaining their care is not cheap. Finally, the cost of owning one falls on parents, and as a result, children don't fully understand the responsibility of having one.
B . 
C . 
D . 
