DON’T BUY DOGS AS GIFTS: Tons of surprise puppies returned to shelter just days after Christmas
Giving a pet as a gift during the holidays is something you should probably avoid, according to some rescue groups. Called the Christmas dump-a-thon, rescue groups claim that shelters are inundated with unwanted pets at this time of year. And while there is some argument that on whether this is true or not, the fact remains that you should never give someone a pet as a gift unless you ask first.
The Christmas holiday sees many pet surrenders
The Central Dakota Humane Society shelter in North Dakota has already seen many surrenders since the Christmas holiday. Fortunately, volunteers, such as Darrell Njos take it all i9n stride. He likes to play with the dogs outside so that they can get their exercise, and takes many with him at a time.
“I get my exercise and they get their exercise,” Njos said in a CNN interview.
Finding a forever home for 50 dogs
Inside the shelter, Director Sue Buchholz takes care of the other dogs. Her ultimate goal is to find a forever home for the roughly 50 dogs currently in the shelter. She has her thoughts on gifting someone a pet for Christmas.
“We don’t encourage people to get pets for others without their knowledge,” said Buchholz.
Talk to someone before gifting them a pet
Buchholz recommends having a discussion with someone before you give them a pet. A pet is a lot of responsibility and the person might be ill-prepared to care for them properly. This is made worse when a pet has a medical issue that takes extra care. Such care can also increase the financial burden on a pet owner, which is something that some new owners aren’t willing or ready to take on.
Pets with medical issues are prime candidates for surrender to a shelter
One case in point is two beagle pups recently surrendered to the shelter. Named Gilbert and Sullivan, the two beagles are brothers who came to the shelter after they were given as a gift to a local. Sullivan has a medical condition called a hyperextending radial ulnar. Basically, his front legs are slightly bowed,
Eventually, Sullivan will need to have his condition treated. Otherwise, it could shorten his life. The money to pay for Sullivan’s will have to come out of the shelter’s emergency fund, but the staff have no choice on whether to get it or not.
“I said, how important do you think that is, [our veterinarian] said, I think it would shorten his life if you didn’t do it,” said Buchholz.
Wait until after the holiday before giving someone a pet
Buchholz cautions people to think about their decision when buying a pet as a gift. Even if the recipient is okay with the gift, it might be better to wait until after the holidays. The home at the holidays is usually loud and full of people, which can cause unnecessary stress to the animal as they adjust to their new home.
For more on how you can adopt a pet from or donate to the Central Dakota Humane Society, visit their Facebook page. Here is a video with more on Gilbert and Sullivan, and the rest of the dogs at the animal shelter.
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