A FOUR-LEGGED PRESENT?

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PET HEALTH

Before you give a bundle of joy for the holidays, do a little homework.

By Andrea Looney, D.V.M.

Dear Andrea:

My husband would love to give our friends a puppy for Christmas, and though it seems a great gift, I'm reminded of what my mother used to tell me: "Give a pet only if you intend to take a stake in its care." Is there a way to responsibly give an animal as a gift?

—Patricia Rassi
Warren, RI

Dear Patricia:

Puppies, kittens, and other pets provide companionship, joy, unconditional love, a sense of safety, and often even service. It seems reasonable to suspect that they would be the ultimate present. Yet the petgiving experience must be preceded by taking the time to consider which animal is best suited for your friend's living space, lifestyle, and budget. A pet selected on impulse, "for children," or as a gift during the holidays often ends up as one of the millions of unwanted pets needlessly euthanized each year. Caring for an animal is very similar to caring for a child.

Do they have room for a pet? Cats, birds, and pocket pets (rabbits, gerbils, ferrets, hamsters, etc.) can adapt to almost any size living quarters, but dogs and larger animals need more space and exercise. For everyone's safety, can potential owners obey leash laws, vaccinate (rabies is the most important) and neuter their pet, observe licensing requirements, and clean up after their animal? Will a pet match their lifestyle? Most folks keep pets as companions, while others enjoy breeding, showing, and hunting. Will the animal you're considering have the temperament and physical attributes to participate in their type of living, be it work, play, or even in their absence? Young puppies and kittens require time for housebreaking, training, and feeding. Are they gone all day long? Will they work late? Feeding, exercise, grooming, and play are daily commitments that you are wishing upon your friends with this gift. Are they ready for it? Last, consider their pocketbook. All pets need food, shelter, and regular visits to a veterinarian for checkups and vaccines, and none of these items are free.

If your friends still seem prepared for all of this, start by consulting a veterinarian who can offer years of advice on physical needs, health, and behavior characteristics of animals compatible with their style of living, schedule, and time constraints. Other good sources of guidance include kennel clubs, breeders, humane societies, and animal shelters. The importance of the latter two institutions in proper pet selection and placement cannot be underestimated. The local SPCA is not only a source of quality animals waiting for new homes, it is staffed by folks so knowledgeable in animal selection and placement that it would be a shame not to drop in and say hello.

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