That is the message the month-long exhibition Saaku Praanigalu Preeti Mattu Bheeti (Pet animals: love and fear) aims at spreading. The expo that began on Friday creates awareness about pet animals, their personal hygiene, health, vaccination and medical check-ups. These are essential to keep health dangers at bay.

Scientist in-charge of Regional Museum of Natural history C Rajasundaram said: "Many of us enjoy companionship of animals like dog, cat, birds. But people are likely to be exposed to health dangers as they interact closely with animals and some diseases can spread from animals to man, which is known as zoonotic disease."

The exhibition will educate the public about preventive measures to be taken by pet animal lovers and the risks involved in rearing and interacting with pet animals. It also highlights infections caused by drinking of raw milk from infected cow and the diseases transferred from animal to man.

Speaking at the inaugural function, ministry of environment and forests additional director Usha Subramaniam cautioned animal lovers and rearers to take necessary precaution.  Ministry of environment and forests advisor G V Subrahmanyam inaugurated the expo organized by RMNH and JSS Medical College, at the Regional Museum of Natural history, Siddarthanagar.