For Immediate Release: December 15, 2004
If your childrens' rooms look like Toys R Us minus the cash registers and you're racking your brain for a Christmas gift that will make their eyes glitter like tinsel, the idea of giving them a pet may occur to you. Sounds like the perfect solution. The little tykes are old enough to learn a little responsibility, and their happiness will be unbounded.
Not so fast there.
A pet is not this year's hot item that can be put aside after a few weeks. This gift goes on giving-and taking-for years to come. So before you make a "purr" of the moment decision, think about what it means to own a pet.
First for the "give." A cat may live fifteen to twenty years or longer. Some breeds of dogs live almost that long, too. During that time you will have a loyal friend that enriches your family life.
But a dog or cat's upkeep "takes" hundreds of dollars per year. Besides the initial investment, food, veterinary bills, kenneling while you're on vacation, all figure into the costs. Can you afford it?
Pets are a time commitment as well. They require daily care and attention. Small pets require daily cage maintenance as well. If you're an apartment dweller or have an unfenced yard, dogs may require several walks each day.
Is your family ready to make a long-term commitment, both in time and money? If the answer is a resounding "yes," then consider adopting a pet from a shelter or rescue group.
There are literally hundreds of thousands of pets who need homes. To find a shelter near you, check the yellow pages in your phone directory or log on to www.petfinder.com, an online database of homeless pets in over 8,000 shelters and rescue groups nationwide. The Petfinder site lets you enter the kind of pet you're looking for (including dogs, cats, rabbits, small furry ones and cold-blooded ones as well), then gives you a list that is keyed to your Zip code. You contact the shelter where the pet is housed to do the adoption.
While adopting a pet from a shelter isn't free, it is usually less expensive than buying from a breeder and has the added benefit of helping a pet in need, an appropriate Christmastime value. Some people avoid animal welfare organizations because they want a purebred. They're surprised to find that many purebreds end up homeless. Hundreds of breed rescue groups list purebred pets on Petfinder, and shelters regularly have purebreds on their lists on the site.
If you're uncertain about what kind of pet would best fit your household, check out the Purina breed selector on the Web. For dogs, check http://www.purinaone.com/dogcare_breed_selector.asp or for cats, visit http://www.purinaone.com/catcare_breed_selector.asp. If you are considering a rabbit, check out http://www.rabbit.org. You can read about the special needs of other pets by doing a search in the Petfinder.com library.
Is the holiday the ideal time to bring a new pet into the family? That depends. If you are going to have a quiet holiday, then yes. But if your home is a-bustle with people, then you should wait until after the festivities are over. Bringing a pet into a new situation can be traumatic for the pet and its new family: adjustment can take days or weeks. If you add temporary chaos to the mix, you may have an even longer period of adjustment. If you're certain that your Christmas will be quiet, then you can surprise your child with a new pet under the tree. Absolutely don't be tempted to wrap the new pet up, even if you have seen such things in movies or on television. It is not humane and is a frightening and dangerous experience for a pet.
Perhaps a better alternative is to substitute some pet supplies and a gift certificate under the tree, even if it doesn't quite seem as dramatic. Petfinder.com has a Pet Promise certificate on its Web site available for printing. In addition, there is a Pet Promise Pledge that will help parents make adopting a pet a positive experience for the children and the pet.
Having a pet in the family can be wonderful. Make sure the experience is all it can be by planning ahead and doing it right.
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If your childrens' rooms look like Toys R Us minus the cash registers and you're racking your brain for a Christmas gift that will make their eyes glitter like tinsel, the idea of giving them a pet may occur to you. Sounds like the perfect solution. The little tykes are old enough to learn a little responsibility, and their happiness will be unbounded.
Not so fast there.
A pet is not this year's hot item that can be put aside after a few weeks. This gift goes on giving-and taking-for years to come. So before you make a "purr" of the moment decision, think about what it means to own a pet.
First for the "give." A cat may live fifteen to twenty years or longer. Some breeds of dogs live almost that long, too. During that time you will have a loyal friend that enriches your family life.
But a dog or cat's upkeep "takes" hundreds of dollars per year. Besides the initial investment, food, veterinary bills, kenneling while you're on vacation, all figure into the costs. Can you afford it?
Pets are a time commitment as well. They require daily care and attention. Small pets require daily cage maintenance as well. If you're an apartment dweller or have an unfenced yard, dogs may require several walks each day.
Is your family ready to make a long-term commitment, both in time and money? If the answer is a resounding "yes," then consider adopting a pet from a shelter or rescue group.
There are literally hundreds of thousands of pets who need homes. To find a shelter near you, check the yellow pages in your phone directory or log on to www.petfinder.com, an online database of homeless pets in over 8,000 shelters and rescue groups nationwide. The Petfinder site lets you enter the kind of pet you're looking for (including dogs, cats, rabbits, small furry ones and cold-blooded ones as well), then gives you a list that is keyed to your Zip code. You contact the shelter where the pet is housed to do the adoption.
While adopting a pet from a shelter isn't free, it is usually less expensive than buying from a breeder and has the added benefit of helping a pet in need, an appropriate Christmastime value. Some people avoid animal welfare organizations because they want a purebred. They're surprised to find that many purebreds end up homeless. Hundreds of breed rescue groups list purebred pets on Petfinder, and shelters regularly have purebreds on their lists on the site.
If you're uncertain about what kind of pet would best fit your household, check out the Purina breed selector on the Web. For dogs, check http://www.purinaone.com/dogcare_breed_selector.asp or for cats, visit http://www.purinaone.com/catcare_breed_selector.asp. If you are considering a rabbit, check out http://www.rabbit.org. You can read about the special needs of other pets by doing a search in the Petfinder.com library.
Is the holiday the ideal time to bring a new pet into the family? That depends. If you are going to have a quiet holiday, then yes. But if your home is a-bustle with people, then you should wait until after the festivities are over. Bringing a pet into a new situation can be traumatic for the pet and its new family: adjustment can take days or weeks. If you add temporary chaos to the mix, you may have an even longer period of adjustment. If you're certain that your Christmas will be quiet, then you can surprise your child with a new pet under the tree. Absolutely don't be tempted to wrap the new pet up, even if you have seen such things in movies or on television. It is not humane and is a frightening and dangerous experience for a pet.
Perhaps a better alternative is to substitute some pet supplies and a gift certificate under the tree, even if it doesn't quite seem as dramatic. Petfinder.com has a Pet Promise certificate on its Web site available for printing. In addition, there is a Pet Promise Pledge that will help parents make adopting a pet a positive experience for the children and the pet.
Having a pet in the family can be wonderful. Make sure the experience is all it can be by planning ahead and doing it right.
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