With kids on break and many adults taking time off over the holidays, it can be a wonderful time to add an adopted pet into the family. This can provide lots of time to bond, play, and spend quality time together!

Make sure you’re ready for this important decision, though! Adopting a kitty or a pup should never be done on an impulse.  Have a discussion with the entire family about adding an animal companion to your home, with a clear understanding of responsibilities for his or her care. These considerations include feeding and grooming, house training/potty walks and litter box care, exercise, training, grooming, where the pet will sleep and eat, veterinary visits and costs, and of course, FUN!

Consider these questions before adding a pet to your family:

1) Who will be the primary caretaker of the pet? Around the holidays, people may decide to give a pet as a gift – do not let a pet be a surprise to the recipient or their family. If you are giving the pet to your child, are you ready to care for an animal? Your child may promise to train, feed and clean the pet, but this promise may be short-lived. As the adult in the home, the parent is ultimately responsible for making sure a pet is being cared for properly.

2) Is the home appropriate/prepared for the pet? Being a responsible pet owner means you’re able to properly house and provide care for the animal. Will the pet live in an apartment or a house? Will they need a yard? Are there other family pets and are they ready to have another “sibling?” How many hours a day will the pet be left alone? Animals have different needs for space, exercise, vet care and social habits. Make sure to thoroughly research the kind of pet and breed you are interested in and what their space, veterinary and exercise needs will be.

3) Where/who will you be acquiring the pet from? You may have heard someone say, “Adopt, don’t shop,” but what does that mean? Adopting from a shelter not only provides you with a loving pet and helps pets in the community, it’s also a smart and thoughtful way to do what’s right. When you adopt, you save money on costs since adoptable pets from rescues and shelters are already spayed/neutered, up to date on shots, microchipped and treated for worms and fleas. Best of all, when you adopt, you can be proud that you gave a homeless animal their forever home. Thousands of pets are waiting at local shelters for new homes. Purchasing animals, on the other hand, can support puppy mills, which contribute to pet overpopulation and cause countless dogs lifetimes of suffering.   

If your household is ready for the commitment and you would like to give the joy of a new pet to a loved one, consider purchasing a gift certificate from a local shelter/rescue!

“Gift Certificates are a great way for you to give the gift of a pet to your family while still allowing you to bond with the animal and pick the pet that is right for you and your family’s lifestyle,” said Natalie Smith, Director of Animal Welfare at Kitsap Humane Society. “Kitsap Humane Society sells gift certificates year-round that can be used for adoptions fees, microchips and spay/neuter services, and they have no expiration date.”

Meowy Christmas and Yappy Holidays!