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Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Why pets don’t make good gifts

We have received quite a few calls recently about wanting to adopt a particular cat and then after talking with the potential adopter find out they want to adopt the cat as a surprise for their friend/daughter/sister/niece/nephew/etc.

  • Pets do not make good gifts. The gift giver is usually well meaning believing that a single friend or relative could use some company, or the new pet will help ease the grief of someone mourning the loss of a beloved pet, or that someone who loves animals will appreciate a pet. But it’s just not a good idea.
  • Someone’s lifestyle may not be conducive to caring for a pet
  • A person mourning a pet needs time to grieve – everyone grieves in different ways
  • The person needs to choose their own pet, one whose personality and care requirements match his/her own personality and lifestyle

Instead of giving a pet as a gift, you can:

  • Offer to pay the adoption fee for the new pet but let the person pick out the pet that is a match for the person and the pet
  • Put together a pet gift basket for the person when they do decide to adopt – include pet care items, treats, etc.

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