- Dec
- 15
Smart Santas Don’t Give Animals as Gifts
Posted by Lisa Towell at 5:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)
Nothing's more fun than surprising someone with just the right holiday gift. But when the gift is an animal, the story doesn't always have a happy ending.
I've been a volunteer at my local animal shelter for almost nine years. I always read the little cards on the front of each cage to see why a dog or cat has come to us. "Moving out of state." "Not enough time to spend with dog." "Can't afford to keep." Or simply "Doesn't want cat anymore." I look at the friendly, anxious faces in each cage and my heart breaks knowing that many of these unwanted dogs and cats got their start under the Christmas tree.
When people receive animals as gifts, they're less likely to make a commitment for the animal's lifetime care. Is the new caretaker ready to provide daily care and affection for 12 to 16 years or even longer? Does this particular animal fit the person's lifestyle and financial means? Costs can add up quickly not only for food but also for vet visits and emergency care when the dog steps on a thorn or the cat eats a toxic houseplant. Dogs need outdoor exercise every single day, and it's a huge time investment to train and housebreak a puppy. For many people, a well-mannered adult dog or a middle-aged lap cat is a better fit than a high-energy puppy or kitten.
Problems might not surface right away with a "gift pet." That adorable puppy or kitten wearing a Christmas ribbon will be the center of attention for a while. Then the family gets busy with jobs and soccer games, or perhaps a new baby is born, and Rusty or Ginger gets ignored. Small behavior problems quickly become big problems and finally the family delivers their companion to the animal shelter, assuming that he or she will be placed in a new, loving home. But Rusty's not a cute puppy anymore, and he barks a lot because he's lonely and bored. Ginger is a big cat now and she claws the furniture because she wasn't given a scratching post. These animals don't have much hope of catching anyone's interest, and after a few days or weeks they will be euthanized to make room for more dogs and cats.
If you know someone who really wants a companion animal, how about giving a gift certificate for the adoption fee at the local animal shelter? Wrap up a food dish, some toys and the gift certificate and put them under the tree. Or buy a dog bed or cat carrier and wrap it with a stuffed animal and the gift certificate. After the holidays, you can all go down to the shelter together and pick out just the right animal.
One of the most important lessons we can teach our children is respect for other living beings. Dogs and cats aren't disposable, and they don't belong under the tree with the other gifts. To show the kids what the holiday season is really all about, take them to the animal shelter after the new year begins and give an unwanted dog or cat the precious gift of a "forever home" with your family.
Posted to Family & Friends | Posted to Tags: Cats, Christmas, Dogs, Holiday Shopping, holidays, Lisa Towell, santa
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Michelle says...
December 16th, 2010, 8:06 pm
Same goes for giving animals as gifts through charities like Oxfam–it's awful! About the worst fate you could sentence an animal to–a life of labor and often little food.
Sandra Conti says...
December 17th, 2010, 12:18 pm
It is not easy for me to 'be polite' about this topic where animals feel pain just like a human feels it. Please DO NOT GIVE AN ANIMAL AS A XMAS PRESENT, THAT IS THE WORSE THING YOU CAN DO FOR ANYONE. ANIMALS ARE NOT TOYS!! Rethink this before doing such a thing, unless it is well planned out, you have at least ten (10) years to devote, love, care, and love this animal as part of the family!!
Michele Stipe says...
December 17th, 2010, 4:40 pm
I feel it's the wrong to give an animal for Xmas period.
I don't know much about kids but I do know when they see a puppy or kitten they want.. Problem is we are dealing with kids and those puppies and kittens wind up in some shleter as soon as they become a year or more simply because kids see animals like their toys they tire of them.
Best advice would be if a kid wants an animal make sure it's a stuff one so this way it wont suffer these consequences.
regina sigal says...
December 17th, 2010, 5:27 pm
To give an animal for the Xmas Holidays is the same thing as giving a baby as a gift. I did not mean to be rude but that's how I feel.
My best to PETA for doing great things for the animals.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everybody at PETA
and especially to all the volunteers.
fredrick says...
December 21st, 2010, 4:25 pm
Hey there! Stipe your so right about that.
Kids should get toys for the holidays not pets. Face it when these kids are tired of those toys they put them away.
Pets are treated the same way by some of these kids and they suffer because of it too. these poor animals wind up in some shelter.
ATTENTION PARENTS!
Get your kids toy! Unless you know they wont become tired of that new pet.