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Home › Articles › Pets › Pets as Presents

Pets as Presents

Planning Makes All the Difference

By Lyn Mettler

Pages:  1  2  3  4  

"That's one of the things people often fail to anticipate," says Zawistowski. Many people don't think past the initial fee required to adopt. But, he says, a cat costs about $350 to $400/year and a small or medium dog costs about $400 to $500/year, with larger dogs even more.
  • Are you committed? Pets are not something that you can take home, try out and return if they don't suit you. You're taking on a commitment to care for that animal for the rest of its life. If your child is a teen, remember that the animal will be with you when your son or daughter heads off to college. "A cat can live to be at least 15 years – we have one here who is 21 years old," says Wills. "The family has to realize that it is a lifetime commitment with vet visits, supplies needed for its care, with time and love to be spent on the pet."
  • Are you educated about what caring for an animal entails? Don't forget that an animal's an animal. That means cleaning up bathroom accidents and vomit, picked at furniture if you want a cat and dealing with other typical animal behaviors. "There are going to be bumps in the road," says Zawistowski. "Be ready and committed to work through those bumps."
  • Don't get a pet to teach your child responsibility. If your child fails to be responsible, the animal may be harmed. Instead, says Zawistowski, "It's a great way of rewarding responsibility."

    Planning the Surprise
    OK, so you've thought it through, and you feel that everyone is ready and committed. Now what? It's probably not the best idea to have Fido or Socks waiting under the tree on Christmas morning – and of course, don't EVER wrap them up, as we've all seen done on TV a million times.

    Belinda Clarke, a mom living in Evanston, Ill., decided to surprise her mom with a new cat on Thanksgiving. "She was slightly apprehensive at first, since it was sprun on her, but since we had had a cat before (which had died several months before), I knew she would love it," she says. "And she did – after about two minutes. Now both my parents absolutely love her."

    While Clarke's holiday surprise did work out, many times the apprehension she describes doesn't go away. So rather than have to take Kitty back to the shelter or find her a new home, Wills recommends purchasing a gift certificate from the shelter to give to your loved one. That way you still keep the element of surprise, but in case it's unwanted, no animals are affected.

    Another idea, according to Zawistowski – which may be more fun for kids – is to buy a stuffed dog or cat and have it sitting with the gifts. You can purchase some of the equipment for the pet like a carrier, leash or bed and have the stuffed animal all decked out in gear. Then you attach a note saying everyone will go together to pick out their new pet after the holidays.

    Bringing Home Your New Family Member
    Pages:  1  2  3  4  


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