Christmas Kittens & Puppies?

The Right and Wrong Way to Give a Christmas Pet

by Helena Sung (Subscribe to Helena Sung's posts)

Dec 15th 2010 @ 1:00PM Filed Under: Cats, Pet Adoption

mathias-erhart, Flickr

Is it ever a good idea to give a kitten or puppy as a holiday gift? Most experts wave the red flag at the idea of holiday pets, but if the animal in question has been a long-considered family addition, it isn't always a bad idea. Here are some things to keep in mind when thinking of gifting a new pet this month.

The Wrong Way
"Never surprise anyone with a pet as a gift. It's not an inanimate object. It's a living, breathing being that's going to depend on [that person] for food, water, exercise and attention -- for at least 15 years," says Sandra DeFeo, director at the Humane Society in New York City.

"Every year, people get a kitten or a puppy for someone as a present and the person receiving it isn't ready for the responsibility," says DeFeo. Pets given as gifts start trickling into the Humane Society soon after the holidays have passed, but most are surrendered in the spring, DeFeo tells Paw Nation.

"A lot of dogs given as holiday gifts start coming into our shelter in March and April, when they've started to grow from tiny, cute puppies into energetic, young dogs, and the owners can't handle it and are exhausted," says DeFeo. "People just didn't think it through."

The Right Way
Do a lot of research and preparation before bringing a puppy or kitten home. For instance, last year, Fitz Koehler, a mother of two in Gainesville, Fla., decided her children, ages 6 and 4 at the time, were ready to have a pet. "They'd been begging me for a long time to get a dog," Koehler tells Paw Nation. "We went through pet fish and lizards, and my kids were very loving toward animals. After my son carried a dead ladybug around in a box for a week as a pet, I knew they were ready."

Koehler began looking for the right dog for her family on December 1. She went to a nearby animal shelter, Haile's Angels Pet Rescue, and met several different dogs and breeds. She chose to adopt a 6-month-old, female yellow Labrador-greyhound mix who was sweet and gentle and, according to the animal shelter staff, good with children. "I asked the shelter staff a million questions," says Koehler.

Koehler named the dog Piper and arranged for Piper to stay at the shelter for several weeks until she was ready to surprise her children with their new family dog on Christmas morning.

"I visited Piper at the shelter every day and took her for long walks," says Koehler. "I also had time to get everything ready, like her food, bowls and leash. By the time Piper came home, I had everything prepared."

On Christmas Eve, Koehler arranged to have Piper stay the night at a neighbor's house. "On Christmas morning, after the kids opened all their gifts, I said there was one more present for them," says Koehler. "I brought the kids out to the backyard where Piper was waiting. They started squealing and ran to hug her. It was perfect."

A year later, Piper is very much a part of the Koehlers' family. "We're as lucky to have her as she is to have us," says Koehler.

Important Considerations
DeFeo feels strongly about a no Christmas pets rule, but after hearing the Koehlers' story, she makes a concession. "That is the one exception I can think of when it would be OK to give a pet as a gift," says DeFeo. "Because the person giving the pet as a gift would be the one taking responsibility for caring for it."

If you're considering doing something similar, Koehler has some advice. "Don't take the kids with you the first time you visit an animal shelter to pick a pet," says Koehler. "They're bound to fall in love with every puppy they see and a lot can go wrong if you let a 4-year-old choose the dog." Koehler knew what kind of dog would be best for her family. "I didn't care if a dog was cute or how it looked," she says. "I wanted an average-size dog that was gentle, athletic and good with children."

Still, not everyone considering giving a pet as a gift this holiday season will be the one to care for it. "If you really want to be a part of the process of someone getting a dog or other pet, there are other things you can do," says DeFeo. "Rather than give a pet as a gift, help the person prepare for getting a pet on their own," she says. For instance, give a certificate for puppy training classes or pay for a dog trainer. "There's a lot you can do to be helpful once the person gets the dog," says DeFeo. "Besides, a dog is a person's best friend. Would you want someone else to pick out your best friend for you?"