5 Reasons Never To Give a Puppy or Kitten as a Christmas Gift

• December 7, 2019
• Fizzion Clean

Taking care of a pet is a massive responsibility and giving them as a gift just seems like a careless thing to do. For many people, the responsibility of receiving a pet as a gift becomes difficult as they are not ready for this lifelong commitment when it comes to taking care of it. All pets deserve a great life; however, given in the form of a gift is bound to lower that outcome. Even though gifting someone a kitten or a puppy during Christmas sounds like great fun, you should think about the following reasons before you decide to go ahead with the task of giving pets in the form of gifts.

1. Bringing Home a New Pet during the Holidays Can Be Hard
A great majority of families are too busy throughout the Christmas holidays. The festivities and parties can become overwhelming very quickly. Moreover, if there are guests coming over to stay for the holidays, getting a kitten or a puppy is probably the least thing a household needs. Think of it from the recipient’s perspective. The decorations, the tree, and everything else will be noisy and stressful for a new pet. Entering a new and chaotic environment must be very scary for an animal, even without the madness of the holidays.

2. A Stuffed Toy Seems Like a Better Option for a Child
Animal shelters turn out to be packed with many homeless animals. Most of those animals are former pets that were placed in shelters because the child lost all interest, while no one bothered to take care of the animal or train it. Dogs require outdoor exercise daily, and a lot of time needs to be invested in training them. A child isn’t mature enough to handle a massive responsibility like this.

3. Returning the Pet Could Jeopardize Its Life
How can you be so sure that your recipient wanted a pet as a gift? Maybe they are allergic to pets, or anything else could be an issue for them when it comes to pets. Hence, if the recipient did not want the responsibility of a pet, they will end up returning it to the shelter, and this could potentially put the animal’s life in danger. If no new owner adopts that pet, it might then possibly be euthanized.

4. It Is More of a Responsibility and Less of a Gift
Just like a child, a pet requires visits to the veterinarian, medicine, food, toys, and a lot of attention. Owners spend billions of dollars on pets every year, and that number is gradually increasing. Furthermore, a lot of pet owners get insurance as well, which costs thousands of dollars every year. Plus, behavioral training is also crucial for the pet. Hence, before gifting that pet you should think about the budget of your recipient, and if they can handle this commitment that will take up both their time and their money.

5. It Is Not Fair To both the Pet and the Recipient
Animals that have been neglected and abused previously can be more sensitive to a surrounding that is new for them. Even the ones who have not been abused can have issues with the children or the other pets inside the house. Bringing an animal as a pet in a home can be a decision that will change your life; hence you should not make this decision for others, especially when they couldn’t give their input. Will that big dog be content in a small apartment that does not have a yard? Can the new kitten be friends with the recipient’s current dog, who already lives there? You will need to think about these things beforehand.

In the end, if your recipient is ready to handle the responsibilities of a pet then the only safe way to gift someone a pet is by giving them a gift voucher that will pay the adoption fees in an animal shelter. You can wrap up some toys and one food dish that will nicely go along with your gift voucher and place them underneath the Christmas tree. Furthermore, you can also get them a cat carrier or dog bed with a wrapped stuffed animal. Once the holidays are over, all of you can go together to the nearest shelter to select the perfect animal companion for your recipient.