You’ve probably already seen this viral video – “How to wrap a cat”:
If you’re considering giving a pet for a holiday gift, it’s important to keep a few things in mind. For the pet who will be going home with you, as a gift for your family, a new family and home will be a wonderful gift. And the pet will be a wonderful gift for your family, as long as two things are in place. First, not all people are interested in the same kind of pet, and may not feel particularly welcoming to the new addition. It’s important to be sure all in the home will be on board. And second, but no less important, is the reality of who will care for the pet. As a parent myself, I can’t count how many times I heard the bargaining plea of “I promise I’ll take care of it!” Yeah, right. Pets are a lifetime responsibility, and they do require some effort. If you are a parent and wishing to provide your children with the wonderful experience of a pet in their home – I’m completely behind you. Just remember, you’ll probably be the one doing much, if not all, of the work.
If you’re looking to give a pet to someone outside your own household, give them a gift certificate for one. If the shelter or rescue you will probably be getting one from doesn’t offer certificates, make one yourself. Even just a little note inside a card works perfectly well. The reason for a certificate? As much as you may know about what your friend, relative, whoever will be getting the pet would like, there is nothing that can replace chemistry. This means, that person personally meeting just the right pet. So for their sake and for the pet’s, it’s best to not actually hand them a dog or cat. It’s much better to wrap up a stuffed animal, with a note attached saying you’d like to give them one that breathes, than to give them an actual pet that they might not be comfortable with.
If you’re thinking of giving a pet to children who aren’t your own, unless you’ve cleared it with their parents, again it’s not a good idea. I’ve known of children who were given wonderful pets for gifts by well-meaning relatives, only for those pets to end up homeless – in shelters or just dumped. Not everyone is interested in adding a pet to their home, and it’s crucial to make sure you have full blessings from the parents first. As for choosing pets who will be living with children, it’s always imperative to make sure the pets you are considering get along very well with kids. If there is any doubt, or if it is unknown how the pets will be with children, scratch them off the list of possibilities. Better to be safe than sorry, for everyone involved.
Many shelters and rescues will not allow you to adopt for someone else. They will gladly let you be the one giving the pet, but first require that the people involved, both adults and children, be present to meet the pet to ensure that all are interested in bringing it home, and that there will be a good match between animal and people. This is not overkill, there is a very good reason for shelters requiring this. Too many times, one family member will be very interested in a pet, but someone else in the home will be quite adamantly against the animal, or simply prefers that it would be a different one. This can create a stressful situation in the home, and for the pet as well. Surely you’re not wishing to gift this! So for everyone’s sake, ensure that the people who will actually be living with and caring for the pet meet with the animal first, before any adoption.
Finally, RESIST THE URGE to swoop up one of those adorable, big-eyed pups peering at you from those pet stores. Some stores, such as Petsmart and Petco, as well as some independent stores, offer pets through rescue groups and shelters. These are homeless pets in need of a home. Stores such as Petland may use terminology such as “adopt” and “needing a home”, but what they offer are puppy mill dogs. Not only will you pay a ridiculous price for one, you run a higher chance of getting a dog that is not healthy or worse. And you will be supporting those nasty puppy mills that should not even be in business. So make absolutely sure the pet you are adopting is indeed a rescue. It’s easy to remember: Adopt, don’t Shop.
Some people recommend to wait until after the holidays before bringing home a pet. If you’re going to be heavily entertaining, going out of town for a trip, or know you will simply be overwhelmed with activities and things to do, then this would be wise advice to heed. If you’re going to be having a relatively quiet holiday, and will be around home for the most part, I think this would be an ideal time to bring home a new pet. Many people are home more than usual over the holidays, with extra days off of work in addition to the holidays themselves, so it affords more time for everyone to get to know each other – and enjoy each other!
The one dog my family ever had while I was growing up, my dad brought home from the shelter a day before Christmas. It was the best present “Santa” ever gave us, and it came via Dad, tucked inside his jacket for warmth as he came in the door with our surprise present. We kids surely never regretted that dog or the timing for a second, and my parents never minded the new puppy underfoot that holiday season. The whole family had been wanting a dog for some time. We gave a pup a home for the holidays. It was a wonderful Christmas.
The one dog my family ever had while I was growing up, my dad brought home from the shelter a day before Christmas. It was the best present “Santa” ever gave us, and it came via Dad, tucked inside his jacket for warmth as he came in the door with our surprise present. We kids surely never regretted that dog or the timing for a second, and my parents never minded the new puppy underfoot that holiday season. The whole family had been wanting a dog for some time. We gave a pup a home for the holidays. It was a wonderful Christmas.
What a pawsome post! Great job.
Nubbin wiggles,
Oskar
what great info….thanks for sharing!
Thanks for linking up. I am following you back.
http://honestgirlreviews.blogspot.com
Thank you, Oskar, Cooper and Lola!
Hi, and welcome, Krystal!
Roo! Roo!
Hope everyone reads your post!
Y’all come by now,
Hawk aka BrownDog
Great post!
Even though I’ve been wanting a guinea pig, I wouldn’t want it as a Christmas gift; I want to pick it out myself.
Plus, when I was breeding rabbits, myself and several other breeders purposely planned NOT to have litters due around Easter. It’s just asking for trouble.
When I was 2, my parents got a Christmas puppy from a pet store in the mall. She was a yellow lab named Sassy (after my favorite Pound Puppy, Sassafras). She was an absolute nut-job/puppy-mill/badly bred puppy, and they ended up giving her to a rescue group because they couldn’t handle her. Perfect example of how important research is – if they looked into Lab puppies, they’d know that they’re pretty hyper, particularly when you know NOTHING about their family history!
I loved the video! And that is great advise for the holiday season, anytime is good to adopt, not shop!