Pets Don’t Make Good Gifts

Pet’s don’t make good gifts. While the intention is always good, the outcome often isn’t.

Each year, shelters across the nation receive thousands of post-holiday “gifts”…rabbits and chicks after Easter, dogs and cats after Christmas, swelling populations that are already too high. Retailers significantly add to the problem by advertising pets as presents. Who wouldn’t be charmed by adorable animals in their Christmas wrap and holiday bows?

Before you buy a pet as a gift, please consider the following:

Pet ownership is fraught with responsibility. There are regular expenses such as food, medicine, veterinary and training expenses, and durable goods such as beds, collars, toys, etc. Once the recipient is gifted with an animal, do they have the financial means to take care of him…for the next 13 years?

Pets require a lot of time and attention. Most domestic pets are bred to live with humans. Dogs especially, do not fare well when left alone frequently, and may quickly act out with destructive or attention-seeking behaviors if they are deprived of human attention. Does the recipient have quality time every single day to spend with the pet? Is this how they want to spend their time?

Just because we’re old doesn’t mean we’re lonely. Shelters and rescues frequently see dogs that were “gifted” to the elderly or critically ill for companionship. In many cases, the recipients didn’t even want a pet and are unable or unwilling to care for it in the ways required to ensure the pet’s mental and physical stability. To keep the peace in the family, many try to keep the pet and it can come at the expense of the recipient and the animal.

Pets are not disposable. If you are considering an animal for the elderly or for someone who is critically ill, please consider the following responsibility- are you prepared to care for this pet when the recipient can no longer care for it? If the answer is, “No”, please buy a different gift.

Every animal has its own personality and behavioral traits. If a pet is gifted to someone, the personality of the pet and new owner may clash, and in many cases, the relationship ends in failure because the two are not well suited. Another common problem is breed mismatches. Breeds should be carefully researched by the prospective owner first to ensure that its exercise requirements, temperament and behavioral traits are a match to the owner’s lifestyle and energy level. A dog’s physical attractiveness is not a measure of suitability.

Dogs should not be introduced into a new home during the holiday season. The first 2 weeks in a new home are critical for an animal and the period when they require the most time, attention and exposure to normal routines. Normalcy is rarely found in households between Christmas and New Years (let alone spare time!) If you’re giving the gift of a pet, we strongly encourage you to give a photo for the holiday and bring the pet into the home after the holidays are over.

Better Gift Ideas

If you think someone would like or would benefit from bringing a pet into their lives, sit down with them and review the responsibilities of pet ownership. Help them research breeds, which are suitable for their lifestyles.

Offer to help someone who is looking for a new pet. Go with them to their local shelter to see if the breed they desire is there. Shelters often get “pure bred” dogs. You can then give the gift of joy to the new pet owner and the gift of life to the shelter animal.

Happy Holidays!

The goal of all dog training is to provide peaceable solutions to everyday problems so that pets and their owners live harmoniously. Paws in Training provides dog and cat training services in Raleigh, Apex, Holly Springs, Cary, Fuquay Varina and Garner, N.C.