I know it sounds obvious, but it bears repeating. The current US salmonella outbreak, recently attributed to handling dry dog food,  has now affected 79 people since '06.

It's shocking to read that according to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most of the cases are 2 years old and under.

I know the bowl's just at the right height for them to stick their hands in. The primary source of infection is quoted as being feeding a pet in the kitchen. I know you need eyes in the back of your head with a wee one. But I also know that if it were mine, I'd be washing their hands if they did that!

Yes, you might not catch the kiddies in the act but then the simplest solution is to feed the animals, wash the food bowl right away and put it out of reach, rather than leaving food lying in it all day.

Even if your pet's used to “grazing” all day long, it doesn't take them long to learn that if they don't eat it when you put it down to them, it gets taken away until the next day.

Preventative measures mentioned in the article:

“These include regular washing of pet feeding bowls to prevent bacterial growth; the thorough washing of hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds after handling dry pet foods, including pet treats; and scrupulously avoiding contact between dry pet foods and foods consumed by humans and food preparation surfaces and utensils,” he said.”

Please, don't let your child become a statistic.