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W HAT COULD BE cuter than a kitten curiously crawling from a stocking on Christmas morning? What carries more emotional charge than an ebullient puppy poking its head from beneath an ornament-laden tree?
We all want to thrill our children or our loved ones with the perfect holiday present, and pets certainly make thrilling gifts.
But they hardly make perfect ones. Too often families put bows around Fido or Fluffy to provide passing glee to both the gift-giver and getter, only to realize too soon that pet ownership is a commitment the recipient is unwilling or unable to make.
We join shelters and societies in Berks County and beyond in urging you to wait.
Wait until the holidays and the often impulsive gift-buying urges that accompany them pass. Wait and see if the pet-wanting passion persists past the season. Then, should the person or family involved still feel strongly about owning a new furry friend, accompany them to a shelter or foster home and adopt.
Just can’t avoid that Christmas itch?
Then consider giving some sort of promissory present, something that says you’re intent upon giving the pet later if the recipient remains intent upon getting it. You might give a gift card to a pet store, or a toy or collar, along with a note promising to take your loved one to pick up the pet when the right time comes.
We know this takes willpower.
Be patient. Make sure the pet is right for the family, and vice versa, over the long term. Everyone involved will be the better for it.