As we come to the end of 2022 and the joy of Christmas looms for another year, we start to hear of the gifts everyone prepares for their loved ones. Are you considering purchasing a pet for a loved one as a Christmas gift? You might want to read this first!
Our staff work in the animal industry for lots of reasons, but one answer always comes up time and time again as to why we do it… We love Pets and we cannot get enough of them! But part of being a pet advocate, is it is our duty to have the tough conversations and highlight that owning a pet should never be taken for granted. Part of keeping all the fur babies in the world happy, healthy and safe, means we need to educate all pet owners on the responsibilities and commitments that come with owning a pet.
Caring for a pet is a commitment for an average of 10-15 years. If you are considering giving a pet as a gift, the owner should be prepared for this commitment and needs to know what is fully involved in the care of a pet (emotional, physical and financial). Surprising people with pets for Christmas (or any occasion for that matter) and potentially burdening someone with those responsibilities when they are not prepared for it, will more often than not result in the pet being rehomed, surrendered or put out on the street. Not to mention, that gift receiver potentially enduring feelings of guilt, sadness, grief and shame for not being in a position to care for the animal.
In the pets first year there is a significant outlay of money and time required for training and starting the animal on their health care plan. This includes time for bonding, training and starting the pet on preventative treatments such as vaccinations, intestinal worming, flea and tick prevention and desexing. This comes at a cost to the new owner, as well as providing food, water, leads, collars, toys, beds etc. After their first year, pets require annual preventative medical treatments, ongoing training, care if the owner goes away and above all else quality time with their owners, day in day out. If you are planning to give a pet to a loved one as a Christmas gift we urge you to consider these factors before making your final decision and if you can, you might want involve the new owner in the decision making.
The sad reality is that sometimes pets given at Christmas time more often than not become unwanted, once the novelty has worn off and the reality of their care requirements is established. This can happen for many different reasons including: the new owners not being able to spend enough time with their new companion or it could be a financial strain on them. In our area, the lucky pets which get surrendered to the pound, often get taken into care by the amazing CQ Pet Rescue, if they are suitable. Although a great amount of time and effort is spent by CQ Pet Rescue to find the pet their forever home, this is not always a guarantee. CQ Pet Rescue are only able to care for pets due to the generous time and space given by their foster carers. But unfortunately (and sadly), Christmas is often CQ Pet Rescue’s busiest time of the year.
If you or the potential gift receiver, have not considered any of the above, we would recommend searching for an alternative gift for your loved one. If your loved one is very excited for a new puppy or kitten for Christmas, you could provide them with some information packs for new owners (which we can provide you with). Alternatively you could gift them the resources that they will need to help care for an animal in the future – like a cat carrier, a lead or a pet bed. They best thing you can do, is to help support a new pet owner in making the final commitment themselves.
And if that doesn’t work for your kids – We have it on good authority that Santa does not transport live animals!
If you have any further questions or would like any more information then please feel free to give our friendly team a call on 07 4987 6800 or visit the website https://www.maraboonvet.com.au/ or visit CQ Pet Rescue website https://www.cqpetrescue.com.au/