Pets Are Not Presents: Why You Should Think Twice Before Gifting a Pet for the Holidays
Content Sponsored by 24Petwatch
Pets bring so much joy, love, and happiness, which is why many people might think of them as the perfect holiday gift for their loved ones — but are they?
While giving that special someone a new puppy or kitten might seem like a great gift, in many cases, it’s not. Pets have many requirements, including food, exercise, grooming, and veterinary care, to name a few. And since they are a lifetime commitment, it’s crucial they are placed in the right home with the right resources to care for them.
Let’s discuss why pets aren’t always the perfect present and things you should consider before making someone a pet parent this holiday.
Reasons Why Pets Shouldn’t Be Presents
Whether you’re thinking about gifting a dog or a cat, all pets come with unique responsibilities. But, in some cases, it negatively burdens the caretaker and the animal. Here are some of the top reasons why pets shouldn’t be given as presents.
Pets Need Daily Care
Every pet is different. While some are more high maintenance than others, all pets need some form of daily care. Whether it’s walking a dog, cleaning a cat’s litter box, changing the paper in a bird’s cage, chopping veggies for a guinea pig, or wrangling crickets to feed a gecko, every pet has caretaking requirements that must be met.
In addition to meeting their basic needs, like feeding, walking, and cleaning, pets also need attention and enrichment to live a happy, fulfilled life. If the recipient of the pet doesn’t have the time or energy to engage the pet or provide enough exercise and stimulation, the pet’s quality of life decreases.
Pets are a Lifetime Commitment
Daily care is just one factor to consider. The person receiving a pet will have to fulfill these daily responsibilities for the pet’s entire life. Depending on your pet’s lifespan, this can be quite a lengthy commitment.
Though lifespan is impacted by many variables, on average, dogs live around 10 to 13 years, cats live around 13 to 18 years, and some pet birds and reptiles can live for several decades. It’s crucial to consider a pet’s lifespan when thinking about giving an animal as a gift.
Pets Cost Money to Maintain
Regardless of the puppy or kitten chosen, there will be continuous long-term costs. The new pet parent must budget for food, supplies, toys, grooming, vaccines, veterinary care, and more.
Pet owners spend approximately $1,500 a year to maintain their pets. However, this number can increase drastically if a pet becomes ill or injured and needs emergency or specialty veterinary care (although pet insurance may be able to help). Not everyone is aware of the potential costs that come with being a pet parent or can accommodate them — another good reason to think twice before giving a pet as a gift!
It Can Be Unfair to the Animal
Unfortunately, it’s very common for pet shelters to see an increase in surrenders shortly after the holiday season. This is often due to pets that were once well-intentioned gifts becoming too much for their new families to handle. Whether it’s because the recipient of the pet has learned they don’t have the time or money to maintain the pet’s needs, or the pet is not a good match for the family’s lifestyle, it’s ultimately the pet that ends up suffering.
Millions of pets enter shelters across the country every year, and sadly, many of them never end up getting adopted. By giving someone a pet as a gift they are not prepared for, you may end up adding to the already overburdened shelter system, where the pet may never find a forever home.
Alternatives to Gifting a Pet
Pets aren’t the only way to give someone who loves animals a special gift this holiday season. Consider tickets to a local animal sanctuary, animal-themed jewelry or art, or a lifelike stuffed animal. Nowadays, you can find stuffed animal toys that breathe and make sounds, like Perfect Petzzz®, a great option for children who may want a kitten or puppy for Christmas but aren’t quite ready for the responsibilities that come with it.
Final Considerations Before Gifting a Pet
Do you still want to gift a pet? Well, examine all the potential pros and cons before you do. Most often, it’s well-meaning parents wanting to gift their child a pet for the holidays, but in these cases, it’s important to consider the child’s age and responsibility level.
Younger children can be difficult to manage around pets, as they might not understand how to handle them carefully. And they aren’t always adept at reading the warning signs if a pet is uncomfortable. And when it comes to older kids, you’ll want to think about future implications, such as when a teenager goes off to college — what will happen to the pet? No matter what promises children make, the parents usually carry the burden of feeding, walking, and cleaning up after the pet, so be sure you’re up for it.
Once you’ve decided that your child is ready for the responsibility of a pet, be sure to choose one that will be a good match for your family’s schedule, lifestyle, and budget. When you’re ready, search for adoptable pets through our Pet Adoption site, or check out your local animal shelter, where many wonderful pets await homes. If you have your heart set on buying from a breeder, do some thorough research to ensure you’re not buying from a puppy mill.
Lastly, once you’ve picked out a pet and are ready to bring them home for the holidays, be sure they are up-to-date on vaccines and veterinary care and have proper ID tags and a microchip. You may also want to consider a Lifetime Protection Membership from 24Petwatch. You’ll have access to veterinary telehealth, discounts on pet-sitting and dog-walking services, and lost pet recovery specialists standing by to assist should your pet ever get lost. 24Petwatch has reunited over 730,000 lost pets and will be there for yours too!