The focus on this blog post is a little out of the ordinary — but for very good reason. The shelters are overflowing, and we want to know why.
As our frequent readers will know, we love all pets unconditionally. We love each and every animal for different reasons but unfortunately, it’s always a bitter-sweet time of year after the festivities have come to a close.
The animal shelters around Canada experience an influx of unwanted pets, given to loved ones with greatest intentions over the holidays. It’s important to understand that adopting a pet is a lifelong commitment and some are simply not ready to take that next step.
Why Does This Happen?
Deep down we hope when someone does choose to gift a puppy or a pet that it truly comes from a good place. A place of simply wanting to share the incredible gift of being a pet owner with someone they care about. A lot of us will relate and understand where most are coming from.
Unfortunately passing on the lifelong commitment to someone unexpectedly, might not always work out. Dogs & cats especially, will grow from small kittens and puppies and hopefully live for a very very long time. If someone isn’t ready for that commitment, it can result in an unfortunate visit to the animal shelter.
Animals have their own individual personalities, traits and needs. They require a huge amount of time, love and effort. Along with countless hours and a huge amount of patience to train.
What Can We Do To Prevent It?
Before choosing to gift someone a pet, we urge you to think long and hard. It’s important to be absolutely certain that this is something that the ones receiving the pet, are prepared for and are already expecting. By removing the element of surprise, it will decrease the chances of needing to return the animal back to a shelter.
Remember, Christmas is a great time for giving but, is by no means an ideal time to bring a new family member into their forever home. New pets need time to adjust to their new home, owners and environment. If there are already pets in the family, that will certainly take time to adjust to as well. As Christmas is arguably one of the busiest times of year, from family gatherings to work parties, it can be a stressful time for a pet to try and adjust.
If you have any questions or are thinking about adopting a new pet, luckily there are countless resources online to help you get started.
