This holiday season there are lots of things to remember when you have a pet. But what about when you are thinking of getting one? I myself have puppies that will be 6 weeks old on Christmas day, and I would love to see them go to great homes. A word of caution though, for those of you who are thinking about taking a new furry friend home for the holidays.
"Just like the shiny red bow that you tie on their neck for Christmas morning, the newness and excitement of the gift will fade." (Wark, 2012) That new furry friend is a great gift idea, but you must remember, kids will be super excited when you bring it home and make promises they may not be able to keep. A puppy or kitten takes a lot of attention and care. Kids may promise excitedly to walk Cuddles, or clean Fluffy's litter box, but soon realize that these things are in fact CHOIRS!! " While children can help with some age-appropriate responsibilities, pets require adult caretakers. Remember, even bright youngsters typically don't have the strength, attention span, self-discipline and physical strength to care for a dog...or even a cat. Older children typically wind up redirecting their attention to friends, school, social activities and eventually dating and planning for college. Unlike with other holiday presents, owners cannot just pop in a fresh battery or put the pet away in the closet after the novelty wears off. In nearly all cases, one of the parents becomes the primary caretaker, doing the feeding, walks, litter scooping and all of the other chores the children once promised to do themselves." (Tierney, 2011)
"Will your loved one have the time and patience to exercise and housetrain the animal? Is he or she prepared to pay for food, accessories (such as toys, grooming supplies, leashes and harnesses, and bedding), inoculations, and veterinary care, including spaying or neutering, flea treatment, deworming, and emergency care?" (PETA, 2012)Also, at Christmas time we have extra cash set aside for gifts, so buying a high quality pet food, toys, litter, leashes, and other essentials might not seem so bad. These costs are forever with the life of your pet. We don't think about the future cost of flea treatments, spaying, or neutering, wellness care, vaccines, emergencies, and many other expenses that will come up later in your pets life. "None of my pets have ever had fleas." Unless you use flea care every month, (not flea collars and baths either) Yes they have.
I don't know how to say any better what is said in this quote, "Animal shelters are filled beyond capacity with homeless animals, many of whom were former "pets" who, for one reason or another, didn't fit into someone's lifestyle. No matter how much they would like to, many people who receive animals as gifts find that they are unable to make the lifelong commitment to care for their new companion.
Sadly, many people end up turning animals they received as gifts over to an overburdened humane society or animal-control agency that is likely filled to capacity. In worst-case scenarios, some people even abandon animals on the road or in the back yard when they move away." (PETA, 2012)
Please don't use a pet for a gift if you have not completely thought through all of these things. Don't make another broken heart wishing for a forever home sitting in a cage, wondering why it's once excited family is no longer close by giving warm snuggles and love.
Works Cited
PETA. (2012). Why Animals Do Not Make Good Gifts . Retrieved from http://www.peta.org: http://www.peta.org/features/animals-do-not-make-good-gifts.aspxTierney, R. (2011). Why People Should Not Give Pets as Presents. Retrieved from paw-rescue.org: http://www.paw-rescue.org/PAW/PETTIPS/DogTip_giftpet.php
Wark, C. (2012, 12 11). Think Twice before getting a pet for Chrsitmas. (B. Bennett, Interviewer)
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