Every year around this time, the hunt for Christmas gifts begins. You want to find the perfect gifts for the people you love so much. Imagine this: your mum has been wanting a little dachshund forever now. She is physically fit enough to walk the dog three times a day and financially stable. Why not get her a cute pup for Christmas?

The problem with this idea is that animals are never gifts. You take in an animal to provide them with the best life possible. You do not take in an animal to have them provide YOU with happiness and joy. This is obviously the “side effect” you would like and maybe expect when adopting/buying a pet, but it should never be the reason you are adopting a pet. So what exactly are you giving your mum when you get her a puppy? You give her a lot of responsibility over a living being and a potentially nice roommate. This roommate however might have behavioural problems, suffer from physical illness or end up 35lbs heavier than expected. Merry Christmas, mum!

This may seem exaggarated, but sadly it is not. Results from a 2015 paper by the ASPCA show the gravity of pet re-homing. Overall, the most common primary reasons for re-homing a pet were:

• 46% pet problems (of which 35% aggression, 29% destruction and 26% health problems)
• 27% family problems (of which 44% family health troubles)
• 18% housing problems (of which 43% landlord problems and 39% not having enough space)

Hundred-thousends of pets are re-homed every year (Weiss, et al. 2015) which in many cases could have been prevented. Taking in a pet should be a consequence of an extremely carefully made decision, not something you decide for someone else by gifting him or her a pet. You should be prepared for everything that comes with taking care of a pet, no matter the special needs or unexpected size of the pet. This is why it is inherently wrong to shift that responsibility from yourself to someone else, whether it is your mum, your son or your neighbour.

A pet is for life, not just for Christmas (or a birthday, graduation, etc.). Think before you act.

PS: Obviously, some pets still need to be re-homed despite careful consideration of their adoption. This post is not meant to address the people who sadly had to give up their beloved pets due to personal reasons. It is solely meant to raise awareness.

Weiss, E., Gramann, S., Grain, C.V. & Slater, M. (2015). Goodbye to a Good Friend: An Exploration of the Re-Homing of Cats and Dogs in the U.S. Open Journal of Animal Sciences, Vol.05 No.04(2015). DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/ojas.2015.54046