PETS AS PRESENTS

The idea of a child greeted by a saucer-eyed puppy or kitten on Christmas morning melts most hearts like a soft serve cone in the January sun. And with the festive season fast approaching, many with young families will be tempted to introduce a new furry friend during the holiday period while everyone is home. However, a gift animal can easily be neglected during this often chaotic time and animal shelters are tragically overrun with rejected animals immediately after Christmas.

Bringing a pet into the family needs to be considered very seriously and potential guardians need to be aware of the responsibilities involved.

Things to consider
Pets do not look after themselves. They require long-term love and care and are unsuitable for families with limited time. Whether the recipient of the animal is willing to pet-proof their home also needs to be considered. Puppies and kittens have a tendency to chew, scratch and repeatedly make messes during the trying training period. Owning a pet also involves financial responsibility with small to medium-sized dogs costing upwards of $300 per year not including additional veterinarian fees if they become ill.

Alternatives
Keeping in mind that it’s preferable to introduce young, shy animals into a quiet environment where rules and patterns can be established in a routine, there’s no reason why you can’t introduce the idea of a pet at Christmas time, and actually bring it into the home in the new year when everything has settled down.

Instead of presenting your children with a real pet, you could buy a toy dog or cat and have it sitting with the gifts under the Christmas tree along with a card explaining that everyone will go and pick a pet together after the holidays.

You could also have a ‘pet shower’ and wrap up equipment such as a leash, bed and chewing toys or dress up a stuffed animal in pet paraphernalia and leave it under the Christmas tree with an accompanying note. Or why not put together a puppy photo album together with a book on pet care and explain that the puppy will arrive in the new year when the Christmas decorations have been put away and the pup can receive the attention and affection it needs?

Alternatively, you could purchase a gift certificate from an animal shelter. That way you still keep the element of surprise, but the whole family can be involved in the selection of the pet.

Resist temptation
As tempting as it may be to present your loved one with a living, breathing bundle of fur on Christmas morning, remember that returning a kitten or puppy has far graver consequences than returning a material gift. The act of choosing a long time friend and companion is a huge responsibility that should be carefully planned and considered.

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