Talk about a hot holiday topic. There will be some girls and boys (and adults, too) who will wake up Christmas morning who will have a wiggly little dog or cat waiting for them under the tree. Responses usually vary from squealing or crying but the child usually ends up with a giant smile on their faces. The question is, though, regardless of the smile that day, do pets make an appropriate gift for Christmas?
Do the smiles last? Does the kid become resentful when the dog or cat becomes their responsibility or does the animal become a cherished member of the family?
Even within that world, opinions are pretty varied and many people are incredibly passionate about their stance. Rebecca Wilde used to be an Adoption Specialist at a shelter and has heard it all but what to the experts say? We reached out to a few people to get their take on pets for Christmas. Christie Peters from Richmond Animal Care and Control doesn't recommend pets for Christmas saying, "The giver may not know if the receiver is ready to take on the responsibility of a pet, nor be able to choose the pet that might be most appropriate. At RACC, we offer gift certificates that you can provide your loved one as a present, and then, IF and WHEN they are ready to adopt, you can pay their adoption fee."
BRUNCH QUEEN - Available for Adoption from RACC (pictured below)
Richmond Animal Care and Control
Lauren Behringer, the Special Events Manager with Richmond Animal League (RAL), says their shelter has a similar viewpoint: "RAL refrains from “gift adoptions” as we want the person/family adopting (and signing the contract) to be the primary caregiver so they can be a part of the process, learn about their future pet's medical/personality, and ask any questions about pet ownership. Instead of surprising someone on Christmas day with a pet, we feel it can be even more special to have the whole family involved in the adoption process during the holidays."
Interestingly, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals® (ASPCA®) has a different point of view. Per their website, they did a survey and found: "96% of the people who received pets as gifts thought it either increased or had no impact on their love or attachment to that pet. The vast majority of these pets are still in the home (86%)....(and there is) no difference in attachment based on the gift being a surprise or known in advance...(and they) found that pets acquired as gifts are less likely to be relinquished than pets acquired by the individual.
However, the ASPCA® does say that you should only give a pet as a gift to someone who has already said that they would like to have a cat or a dog. Fair enough.
Richmond Animal Care and Control
Both the shelters where Rebecca worked offered gift certificates for the holidays. They believed that the person who is getting the pet should feel some sort of connection to their new furbaby.
Richmond Animal League
Admittedly, dogs and cats do come with a bit of work; walking, grooming, feeding, healthcare, training, etc. Additionally, according to USA Today, the low end yearly cost of having a companion animal is just under $400. Don't get us started on what they say the upper end cost is......but for people like Rebecca, their pets are their kids and would spend anything they had to to make sure their fur kid was happy and healthy. There are ways to help offset some of those costs but a person can expect to spend $30-$50 each month for one cat or dog.
But not everyone has that attitude and pet ownership isn't for everyone and that is okay. What isn't okay is a human who doesn't pay attention to or generally take good care of their pet. If you are even questioning if the gift recipient really wants a pet don't do it. For the sake of not just the animal but the human as well.
Ultimately you'll do what you feel is best - just do your homework and trust your gut. And of course, Wicker and Wilde always recommend you Adopt Don't Shop. There are some wonderful homeless dogs, cats, puppies, and kittens. Richmond Animal Care and Control and Richmond Animal League have some wonderful animals for adoption. Don't forget about the Richmond SPCA has some, too!
RACC
Richmond Animal League
And if you do go with a breeder, please do your homework and go with a reputable breeder. Visit the breeder's house and make sure they are compassionate and responsible.
Merry Christmas!!!!
