Pets Are For Life, Not Just For Christmas

One of the first movies I remember seeing as a child was Walt Disney's "Lady and the Tramp." Remember how it begins? "Darling" opens a prettily wrapped present from "Jim Dear," revealing an adorable Cocker Spaniel puppy. A beautiful, heartwarming scene - as long as it stays on the screen.

The problem begins when real people try to re-enact this scene in real homes on real Christmas mornings. Every January and February, animal shelters are inundated with dogs and cats that had been given as Christmas presents and "didn't work out." A pet should NEVER be given as a surprise gift to someone, and under no circumstances should a new pet be brought home at Christmas time.

If homes really were as calm and quiet as the home Lady saw when Darling removed the lid to her package, Christmas puppies and kittens might not be such a bad idea. Real homes, however, tend to be pretty chaotic at Christmas, especially where there are children. Lights flashing, doorbells ringing, kids squealing in delight - all of these things are part of a happy Christmas to us, but to a small puppy or kitten, they can be terrifying. A pet needs to be brought into his new home when it is calm, quiet, and family members have time for him. The typical home at Christmas is anything but calm and quiet, and time is at a premium for everyone. Even if all family members have completely thought out and agreed upon acquiring a pet, Christmas is not the time to do it.

Even worse is the situation in which a pet is a "surprise" gift. The person receiving the animal may not be willing or able to commit the time, effort and money required to properly care for and train a pet. Or perhaps the person would truly like to have a pet, but the one presented is not a good fit for his or her circumstances or personality. This is a double tragedy because, not only may the gift pet end up in a shelter, but an animal that would have made a more suitable pet may lose his chance for a good home.

Parents often buy a pet for their children, hoping that caring for the pet will teach the children values such as responsibility and compassion for another living creature. While children can indeed learn valuable lessons from having a pet, Christmas is not the best time to begin those lessons. If a child is presented with a new puppy or kitten at Christmas, he is likely to view it as just another new toy, to be played with for a time, and then discarded in favor of something newer. Pets are living creatures, not inanimate playthings, which can be tossed aside when the newness wears off.

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