Giving a Pet as a Surprise Gift
For weeks, even months or years, you hear, "Can we PLEASE have a dog?" or "When are we going to get a cat?". Then one day you're at the pet store or at the animal shelter. You see little round cat paws reaching out to you, just begging to be taken home. Or perhaps you're bewitched by the warm, gentle eyes of the dog gazing trustingly at you from his kennel. And you feel yourself starting to give in. Your family has wanted a pet for a long time, and you start to think that maybe this is the right time: you can surprise your family with a new pet, and bask in their delight. People often want to give a new pet as a surprise gift for a special occasion, such as a birthday or Christmas. But the unfortunate fact of the matter is, some of these animals are turned into shelters and rescue organizations before a year is up (or even sooner). People surrender their pets for a number of reasons. In the case of "surprise pets", it's most often because someone in the family didn't like the pet, or the novelty of having a pet simply wore off. Adopting a pet is a lifelong commitment. When bringing a new pet into your family, everyone in the family should have a chance to spend time with the it before adopting. Everyone needs to agree. Responsible Alternatives:
Please remember that holidays can be a very busy and stressful time for everyone. Introducing a new pet to your household during the holidays may not be best - wait until the rush of activity is over and you can spend some with your new pet, helping him or her to settle into your family. |
Pet Adoption: How to Select the Right Pet for You Can You Give a Loving Senior a Second Chance? The Sad Reality of Puppy Mills Why You Should Adopt from an Animal Shelter Can You Afford to Have a Pet? Read the Dog Budget or Cat Budget
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