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Pets as Christmas gifts 'not the right way to go about it'

Barrie Animal Centre official says better option is to come in as a family and spend time completing meet-your-match quiz to see what suits your lifestyle
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Every day we are inundated on social media with feel-good dog and cat videos that warm our hearts and make us smile.

The temptation is certainly there to try and spread that same kind of joy in real life toward family and friends in the name of Christmas spirit.

But gifting someone a surprise pet is a bad idea and not recommended by animal welfare advocates.

The responsibility of caring for a living, breathing animal is a huge commitment that may not be welcome by many on your Christmas list.

A warm little puppy with loving eyes or a tiny purring kitten can be hard to resist, but that phase of life is short-lived.

Animal lovers remind people that a pet can be a serious commitment of up to 20 years, and with that comes the cost of food and medical expenses that can be prohibitive for some.

And don’t forget about time. It takes a lot of precious time to cater to the needs of a pet, with walking a dog, and the time that needs to be set aside for love and attention that animals require for stable mental health.

Thrusting these responsibilities onto someone else would certainly strain relationships and should be well thought out ahead of time, and in tandem with the person you are gifting to. It should never be an impulse buy.

When the honeymoon period of the gift of a pet wears off, many times these poor unwanted animals end up in a shelter, or in rare, documented cases, abandoned outside to face a terrible fate.

Of course, there are times when it is properly thought out and planned ahead of time, a pet can make a great gift for your own family household, when there is agreement, and you are ready for the responsibility of caring for a furry new family member.

It is also wise to think about where the pet comes from. Reputable and well-established breeders are recommended, while pet stores and small-time “backyard breeders” should be avoided.

The best choice of all is to open your home to the less fortunate among the pet world.

The Ontario SPCA has a seasonal program called iAdopt for the Holidays, which aims to help find loving homes for many of their animals in need.

Erin Belsher, who's the community development co-ordinator with the Barrie Animal Centre, says pets do not make good surprise gifts. She recommends that the decision be made together as a family.

“Gifting is not the right way to go about it,” says Belsher. “Coming in together as a family and spending the time completing our science-based, meet-your-match quiz to see what kind of animal suits your lifestyle, and meeting the animals and making sure it’s a good fit. It should be a whole-family decision.”

And if you are not able to adopt an animal from them yourself, there is their Adopt-it-Forward program that helps to make it easier for older and harder-to-adopt dogs and cats to find a forever home, by covering adoption fees for others wanting to bring a pet home.

Another option is to just simply donate to the SPCA to help with the costs of the animals while they wait for their turn to be adopted. Costs of food and supplies along with veterinary needs these days are rising, so financial aid is a much-needed gift during the holidays or any other time of year.

“Donating gift cards, dog beds, litter pans, which are things that we always need, along with small animal enrichment toys are always welcome. Even basic the necessities of keeping the shelter running, such as laundry detergent, dryer sheets, and office supplies. Any donation is truly appreciated," Belsher says.

Visit www.OntarioSPCA.ca for more information.


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About the Author: Kevin Lamb

Kevin Lamb picked up a camera in 2000 and by 2005 was freelancing for the Barrie Examiner newspaper until its closure in 2017. He is an award-winning photojournalist, with his work having been seen in many news outlets across Canada and internationally
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