Pets, present in more than half the households in the United States, provide emotional and physical benefits to their owners.1,2 However, pet-associated human illnesses and injuries cause significant morbidity and mortality, incurring substantial economic costs for owners and insurance companies. The most costly pet-associated health hazards, Salmonella gastroenteritis, congenital toxoplasmosis, and animal bites,3,4 are potentially preventable with appropriate knowledge and precautions.5-8 We hypothesize that there is a lack of awareness of pet-associated health risks among parents, and that pediatricians do not educate their patients about the health risks involved in owning a pet. This study assesses parents' and pediatricians' knowledge of specific pet-related risks, identifies the sources of this information, and examines pediatricians' attitudes regarding education about pet-associated health risks.