by Brenda Nelson

Created on: February 16, 2009   Last Updated: February 19, 2009

Although it is a sweet notion, that of a person finding a new puppy under the Christmas tree, it is not a fair one, either for the the new owner, or for the pet.

You should not get a person a pet for Christmas, or their Birthday, or for any surprise gift. As cute as it may seem, it is a possible disaster in the making for several reasons.

1. Christmas, in particular, is a hectic time. This is not a good time to introduce a new pet, even waiting a few days following the holiday is much better. The stress will be hard on a new, frightened animal, additionally it is easy to forget about care for the pet during the activities. To further that, if the new pet is a puppy and you live in a cold climate, consider house training in the winter, versus house training in the spring or summer.

2. Surprise pets are never a good idea, people bond better with pets they have chosen for themself. If you really wish to get somebody a pet, give them the supplies and a letter of promise to go looking for the right pet for them. That way they can select the pet they feel is right for them. Most animal shelters offer gift certificates that you can give to a person entitleing them to adopt a cat, dog, or pet of their choice when they are ready and prepared for it.

3. People need time to adjust or prepare for a new pet, springing one on them might not go too well. They might not even want a pet, after all, pets are a day to day, lifetime commitment.

4. Most ethical breeders and animal shelters will not sell or adopt pets before Christmas time. As such the ones who do sell pets are the ones who are not interested in the pet finding a good home, but those who are interested in making a profit.

5 Pets are a living thing, not a toy, or a toss away gift, to be disposed of when you are done with it. People who are thinking of giving a the gift of a pet are thinking firstly of the delight of the new owner, not of the needs of the pet. The main purpose of owning a pet is not for the benefit of the person who owns the pet, but for the need of the pet itself.

As I have said earlier, if you really want to give somebody the gift of a pet, be it for Christmas, or any time of the year, consider giving them a gift certificate for a pet or a promise to go looking for one instead. Talk to them first to make sure they really want one, and it is not just a passing phase. Particularly with children, do NOT get any pet you yourself are not willing to look after fully if they get "bored" of it.

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