I know that some of the public shelters around here will not adopt around Christmas time.

Which is kind of sad to think about all those needy animals. I recently found a stray and turned in knowing that a few scenarios were likely... No level headed person is thinking about adopting a pet during mid december, or this dog will become a gift for someone, or the shelter will not adopt now (their online pictures have been down for a few days) and the thought of this poor dog who was so happy to be inside our house and so sweet will be sitting in a cold wire pen surrounded by concrete blocks and loud barking for christmas instead of curled up by the fireplace with her humans.
But I had to. Someone could be looking for the dog so I felt it was the right thing to do.

No, I understand. You can't keep all the lost and homeless animals that come your way. As much as some people would like to!

I recently bought an additional slip lead thinking when we were out on a walk that we would use it with all the loose dogs that are walking around loose in the street with no collar on. Well in the 2-3 week period that I had it, I had the opportunity to catch 4 dogs with it! I only was able to catch one though. But this is Georgia and we aren't exactly renowned for our responsible pet owners so there's a lot of loose dogs out walking the streets with no collars or tags, un-altered. It is absolutely no wonder people come here from other states to pick up dogs.

I also dont think pets should be allowed as Christmas presents. Besides the fact that many are later given up,it is also very stressful for the animal and many even die because of it.
While it seems like a nice gesture,it really isnt the logical way to get a pet.

While some shelters may not allow adoptions this time of year,it is unfortuante that pet stores are most busy during this time.At the mall,you cant even walk into the pet store it is so packed with people.

I'm just curious as to why an animal might die if given as a Christmas present? Do you happen to have references to literature on pet deaths due to being given as a Christmas present? I find this very interesting.

I agree that many people get a pet for Christmas on a whim and for the wrong reasons. However, there are also many families who make a decision to get a pet for their children/family, and choose to get the pet for Christmas...because what better way is there for a child to wake up on Christmas morning? If the family was planning on getting a pet anyway, what is wrong with choosing Christmas as a time to get one? If someone wants to get someone a pet for Christmas, they will always find a way...and a shelter not allowing adoptions during the holiday season means that those pets that could have been adopted may end up being euthanized or never getting adopted.

Easter is the prime 'Give a chick/rabbit' holiday---and I do not know of many of those animals that do survive with the donee's family, if at all.

LOML and I are currently looking for an adoptable spayed female medium sized young adult dog to replace the one we had to euthanize, since he was the buddy of our present dog. Max is very much an Alpha male when it comes to other dogs and we have to be cautious about a second dog----so we can successfully incorporate that new dog into our family.

Local Humane societies will not even talk to me---I live in a mobile home park. I have a fenced yard, can get permission from the manager, have years of experience training and handling dogs---Max was scheduled for euthanisia due to his uncontrollable behavior---by the local police. The officer leading the effort has now spent time with Max----since my acquiring him and retraining him. She expressed total amazement at the difference in only six months. So, I even have the local police support.

I have little sympathy for rescue agancies who cannot recognize good prospective owners when the turn up. And I do understand their need for rules----since those rules are in place to prevent many unacceptable owners from acquiring a dog who already has had a difficult time.

I got my 1st pony for Xmas, and did the same for my kids; got my first chicks and rabbits for Easter, did the same for my kids. I know all sorts of folks who have done the same thing with positive results. Its not when they get an animal, its should those same people EVER have an animal.

How the heck can a rescue agency worker determine what kind of pet owner some one might be in a short time they are in the place? They arent rained psychologists or anything. They just have to make rules and not bend them.

Yes, I agree that a short time is not enough----I was offering to provide documentation to prove I was not the stereotyped mobile home redneck dog mistreating excuse for a human. And had respected mambers of my community willing to sign affidavits testifying to that.

Boils down to the Humane Society just wants money---I got a request for donations later----and for everyone to do whatever they want.

Not every one is like that, but the local one sure is.

"I'm just curious as to why an animal might die if given as a Christmas present? Do you happen to have references to literature on pet deaths due to being given as a Christmas present? I find this very interesting. "

It was so long ago when I heard this,I'm not really sure.It may have been from a book I have called "THE CAT BOOK".It said that children are excited and often squeeze the animal or the animal gets trampled by all the holiday guests or that it gets ill from so much excitement.
It said that the best times to get a new pet was when things are calmer and quieter,as the pet is already scared from being moved around.

The shelters ask on the application whether it's a gift for someone else.

I truly believe, the people that buy dogs as gifts honestly don't know what they are doing is wrong. They just aren't informed and probably don't have pets of their own. So if they don't think they are doing is wrong, I don't see why they would hesitate to check off the "gift" checkbox on the application.

While they're at it they should show some brief videos to the people giving them a basic understanding of what is involved with pet ownership, not unlike those training videos they give seasonal employees at many supermarket and department stores.

A lot of animal rescues get bad raps. The bad ones make all look bad to some people. I have no idea why they think that just because they tried one or a couple means that ALL rescues are the same.

I don't know about that quirky. I've seen posts on Craigslist about animals as gifts not being a good idea and these get flagged so fast.

I also agree with providing some brief videos. Not only for care but also taping of last year's after Christmas so people can see what really happens once the new gift's appeal has worn off.

I know a lot of people that want to adopt and wait until after Christmas to do so. The look on a child's face when it gets a new puppy on Christmas morning is bull. You can get him/her that new toy they wanted for that look and then wait until after the holidays when the shelters are so overrun that they're euthanizing them left and right.

That's when the animals need to be adopted the most.

Would you believe it that a lot of people buy black cats at Halloween? The Humane Society won't adopt them out until after Halloween.

If getting a pet is so important to you than it would be worth waiting.

"While they're at it they should show some brief videos to the people giving them a basic understanding of what is involved with pet ownership"

This is a great idea QQ, but why only when someone is buying a pet as a gift? Anyone who adopts a pet, for whatever reason and during any time of year, should have to watch a video like this. However, a separate video of what happens after Christmas is a great idea for those who don't realize that they might not have really thought it through.

I still don't see the problem in giving a pet as a gift - just like you can never know somebody's true intentions and ownership capabilities when they are adopting a dog in May, the same goes for someone who adopts a dog in December.

We can talk about a million scenarios where shelters fill up because of the stupid things people do (i.e., all the dalmations that were bought and then given up after 101 Dalmations came out, all the labs that were bought and then given up after Clinton got one). I agree that many people who get pets as gifts (whether it's during Christmas, Easter, or for someone's birthday) do not fully think it through. But how many people buy pets for THEMSELVES at a different time of year without thinking it through? There's nothing that can be done about either situation...we just have to hope that the shelters do a good job in both educating these people and in denying pets to the potentially bad owners.

To me the problem is that a pet for Christmas seems like a good idea but it often is not thought out well or the gift giver doesn't even check to see if the recipient even wants a pet. The first Akita I had was a Christmas present for my husband but when I bought him the breeder knew he would be staying me and not handed off to someone else.

As far as chicks for Easter they really need more care than most "city" folks would think to survive.

Lisa

I agree with you 100%, Lisa. It needs to be well thought out and the "gift" giver needs to be certain that the recipient has been wanting that certain type of pet (dog, cat, etc.).

When my sister and I were in high school and living at home, her boyfriend at the time adopted a pet for her birthday and gave it to her. He didn't even consider the fact that she was still living at home - and did not ask our parents if a pet was welcome. She also made no mention of even wanting a dog - he just thought it would be "cute" to show up with a puppy. That is just irresponsible...not to mention cruel to the puppy. We ended up having to bring the puppy back because my parents would not allow it (we already had a dog). So it wasn't only cruel to the puppy, it was cruel to my sister! Thankfully they brought it back immediately, so it had just as much of a chance of getting adopted as it would have if we never got him. But things don't always turn out that way.

I guess my point is that it's not always the wrong thing to do - as long as it is a responsible decision.

gabro- I didn't mean to show the video just for people adopting as gifts. I actually think that you should be required to either watch the video, read a manual and then pass a written exam before being granted a license I usually tend to favor government "guidance" for a lot of stuff.

You really trust the government to adequately administer a pet program----when they cannot decently administer any of the hundreds of existing programs for humans?????

I firmly agree humans should be required to have some kind of training before being allowed to own an animal---but I also believe that should be a requirement for becoming a parent----both of which are impossible to do.

The reason for the shelters having their restrictive policies is to hopefully prevent a 'bad' adoption. I agree with that concept as well. I disagree only with the inability of a shelter to use proof of competency as a pet owner to modify those rules.

More government control is one of the most horrendous things of which I can imagine.

It's natural to fear things you aren't familiar with or don't understand.

QQ - now you're talking. Written exams too - perfect. And once someone gets their license taken away, they should never be allowed to adopt again. If only that could somehow be implemented.

Yeah, but if all these rules were in place, think about how many more animals would end up without homes and have to be euthanized.

Gabro~ That happened w/ my neice this Christmas, I'm sure you've read my other posts.

Her grandpa (not my Dad) had the bright idea to give all of his grandkids pets for Christmas w/o any of them even saying they wanted a pet. My neice got a puppy & didn't really want it in the first place & couldn't keep it anyway b/c of the new baby in the house. Well, she left it w/ her boyfriend while trying to figure out what to do w/ it & he was leaving this poor little 5 lb. puppy outside on freezing cold nights! I couldn't stand it so I rescued him & I couldn't be happier. But this poor little guy had no clue what was going on b/c he had been moved around so much. I felt so sorry for him! The first few nights we had him he cried & cried & I would get up w/ him & cuddle him & pet him & he would finally calm down, but I completely understood why he was so scared... He had no clue what tomorrow would bring for him! But, now he knows where home is & loves it & we love him. So this story has a happy ending, but I hate to think that our story is 1 in 100 if not less & what happens to those other innocent puppies that were given as Christmas gifts that no one really wanted in the first place.

"Would you believe it that a lot of people buy black cats at Halloween? The Humane Society won't adopt them out until after Halloween."

I heard the reason they won't adopt out cats at halloween is because there are sickos that practice satanic rituals then... Urban legend? I wouldn't doubt if it was true.

Giving someone a pet is different than getting one for yourself and your family if you were planning on getting one anyway. But many puppy shops advertise "puppies for xmas" - and you just know those mills are gearing up for that time of year.