Owning animals involves a long-term commitment & planning by the person(s) who will be providing the care for the animals. After the partying, eating, reminiscing & gift giving is over, the relatives & friends go home. You clean up & put the house back in order. The puppy or kitten will be there long after everyone leaves. Unfortunately for the puppies & kittens (including adult dogs & cats), they too will go home- back to the shelter, unwanted. They often get returned or brought back to the shelter because people get caught up in the excitement of the holiday & neglect to put some serious thought into what will be involved in raising & housing an animal. This is unfair to the animal. How would you feel being a prisoner for a long time, get some freedom, love & special treats, only to return to the prison? I bet you wouldn’t feel that good to have freedom & then have it snatched away. Well, that is what is done to the animals. It just isn’t fair & most definitely can be avoided. I am not saying you can’t give or receive an animal as a gift at the holidays or for any other occasion. I am saying that you must do some research, planning & discussing in order to effectively & responsibly handle the commitment it will take. It will take time, money, concern, forethought, patience & lots & lots of love. It is a commitment because a living, breathing & feeling creature will rely on you (or the person you give it to) to care for it & love it. Dogs can live up to 16 years & cats can live as long as 20 years. They will depend on you for their entire life. You will owe it to them to take care of them as best as is humanly possible. By adopting them, you assume this responsibility because you deny them of any chance they have to get adopted by someone else, who may be better able to provide them with their needs. You will owe it to them morally & ethically to provide them the best care possible. It is the right thing to do. It is the only thing to do. Does the person even want an animal? Can they physically handle the animal? You will have to decide where the dog will sleep, who will feed it, who will train it, who will wash it. Is your yard fenced? It isn’t fair to get a dog, only to chain it to a tree all day, lock it up in a cage or room for hours on end. Who will be home to let it out to go to the bathroom? Humans can’t hold it in all day, so don’t expect an animal to either. Does the caregiver work long hours? Who wants to be all alone without any social interaction for long periods of time? Dogs are social animals and actually deteriorate without any interaction from us. Will the animal be home alone for long periods of time? Does the caregiver’s schedule fluctuate? Who will exercise the animal? Is anyone in the house allergic or fearful? Are there small children in the house who may not be old enough to know how to properly treat an animal? Are there other animals in the house that may not get along with the new arrival? Who will pay for the food? Can you afford the food, toys, doghouse, treats, kitty litter, licensing, shots, annual check ups? What about the unexpected illness or injury that requires veterinary care? Which veterinarian will you use? Can you afford it? How will you provide for the animal if you must go out of town or go on vacation? What will you do if you will be unable to care for the animal due to illness, loss of job, or displacement from home? What kind of animal is compatible with your lifestyle? Different types of dogs have different energy levels, which require different types of care. I guess you can get the point by now. There are a ton of things to consider involving the animal. Almost all of these things must be thought out carefully before you bring the animal home. Granted you can’t plan for everything, as things always will pop up in life. However, the more planning you do in advance, the better off and happier the animal & you will be. You wouldn’t dare bring home a small child on a whim, and you shouldn’t bring home an animal without the same thought & consideration. After all, animals are much like small children. They will rely on you to fulfill their most basic needs, but for their entire life. These needs include: food, water, shelter, medical attention, cleaning, licensing, vaccinations, exercise, & lots & lots of love. If you take care of the animal properly, you will reap the reward of unconditional love & companionship for many years to come. In addition, studies have shown that owning a companion animal can reduce stress levels & chances of heart attacks & high blood pressure. You can take pride in knowing you have done everything in your power to provide for this animal & raised a well-adjusted social being, while saving it from euthanasia or life in a cage. Aside from the planning involved for the animal’s future, there is just too much chaos around holiday time for an animal to make a smooth transition to the new surroundings. Besides, what will you do with the animal when young kids or non-animal people come over? Animals fresh out of a shelter or pet store will need time to adjust to the new place. It should be a peaceful, joyous time for the animal & yourself when the animal comes home. It will be very stressful for them because they don’t know why they are in a new place with new people. We are unable to explain this to them. They will be encountering new faces, new sights, new smells & new sounds. This can be a very scary time for a new animal, particularly a young one. When you get an animal, it is important for the animal’s emotional state to start a routine as soon as possible. This will also benefit you for housebreaking & training. During the holidays, people are coming & going. There is a lot of running around, last minute shopping & paying visits. Did you forget the gift for Aunt Millie? Forgot the gravy? Are you late to dinner at the Smith house? Who let Fido out? Did someone feed the cat? The animal can easily be overlooked during a time when so much is going on. Don’t do this to that little creature. It isn’t fair. Animals easily pick up on our emotions. They feel happy when we are happy; feel scared when we are scared & feel stressed when we are stressed. Often we run around like chickens without heads when the holidays are upon us. We are overwhelmed by the preparations. We are stressed that we will be seeing people & family we may not get along with most of the year but tolerate at holiday time. The animal will most likely pick up on these emotions that you will no doubt be giving off. This will make a lasting negative impression on the animal, making training a problem & causing behavioral issues. When an animal is given as a gift, it is a gift that keeps giving. If you plan on giving an animal for the holidays, do it in advance, so the animal can adjust to the new surroundings & start a routine before the hoopla begins. Otherwise, wait until the holidays are over to give the animal as the gift. Instead, give an IOU as the gift on the holiday & wait until it is over to give the animal. This way, all of the excitement & emotion will be over, and the care of the animal can take the precedence. Visit the local shelters & rescue groups. They have plenty of fabulous creatures that need a second chance at a loving home. Adopting an animal is a very rewarding experience. You will feel fantastic, knowing you have saved the animal, while gaining a friend. If you need help in locating an adoptable animal contact the Suffolk County S.P.C.A. If you aren’t giving an animal as a gift or adopting one around holiday time, then perhaps you can help out the animals in other ways. Maybe you can volunteer some time, donate some food, blankets, dishes, toys or money. Most animal groups like the S.P.C.A. rely on donations & volunteers to help the animals. Give us a call. There is no better gift than giving of yourself. There are many ways to accomplish this. There is an old saying that a house just isn’t a home with out a dog (or cat). I couldn’t agree more with this statement. Having a pet is one the most joyous & enriching experiences that you can have in life. Pets don’t just need things, but they return our efforts in ways we just can’t count. They teach us about life, love & ourselves. They love us no matter what we do. I know it seems like a lot of preparation is involved. It really isn’t. It just needs to be addressed before you bring the animal home. You chose the animal. It did not choose you. Owning an animal is a privilege like no other you will ever experience. When you have a privilege you have a responsibility. Don’t take it lightly ! Have a Healthy, Happy & Safe Holiday !

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