Pets Not Always Best Presents For Christmas
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
For a Christmas present, some parents like to give their children a pet.
On Christmas Day, that may not be a wise choice.
"I think a lot of people do (give pets for Christmas). We try to discourage them from getting them and giving them on Christmas Day," said Debbie Swihart, manager of Paws and Claws & Co.
She said there's so much excitement going on Christmas Day already that it's not an ideal situation for a new pet in the household. It is better, she said, to give the pet before or after the holiday.
If a parent does decide to give a pet for Christmas, there are many considerations a parent should think about.
"If you get a dog, and especially if it's a puppy, you need to make sure you're around. For a dog, you need to have a fenced in area so it's not tied up all the time," Swihart said. "You got to make sure you can take care of it."
She said raising a puppy is like raising a baby. There are steps to go through, from potty-training to obedience.
"If you're getting them for a kid, you have to make sure they know how to take care of it," she said.
Paws and Claws doesn't carry dogs and cats, but otherwise carries a large selection of pets. Swihart said anyone interested in getting a dog or cat for their child should adopt one from the Animal Welfare League.
"They need homes," she said.
Linda Mullins, president of the AWL, said, "All the normal things (of pet adoption) still apply for Christmas."
She also said it is probably not best to give the pet to the child on Christmas. Rather, she said, it is best to give the pet after Christmas because it may be neglected during the holidays. AWL also is happy to hold the pet until after the holidays are over.
"We'd be more than happy," Mullins said. "We more than encourage them to do that.
"(The pet) shouldn't be looked at as a gift, it should be looked at as a member of the family."
When a person goes to the AWL, they can talk to someone in charge of placement about what the animal needs and what kind of pet is best for the child in mind. Once the pet is picked out, supplies like a leash for a puppy or a carrier for a cat should be considered, Mullins said.
"Just the basic things you need to take care of a pet," she said.
If someone is thinking about giving a pet to an adult, Mullins said, the adult should be talked to first.
"It's really best to consult with that person. Springing a pet surprise isn't always successful," she said.
The AWL has a wide selection of dogs and cats available. They have 85 to 100 different dogs to choose from and 50 to 75 cats. They have big dogs, little dogs, husky mix puppies and various adult dogs.
Main Street Hobby and Pet Center, Syracuse, doesn't sell dogs or cats. They do sell hamsters, hermit crabs, iguanas, tree frogs, tropical fish and anoles.
"If the child wants to handle them a lot, our pets probably won't work out for them," said Linda Green, general manager.
"Many of our pets are 3 inches long. Children can crush them," she said. "(Parents) need to size the pet to the child."
Some of the animals Paws and Claws carries include a sugar glider, tarantulas, snakes, hermit crabs, birds, guinea pigs, rats, fresh or saltwater fish, mice ... and ferrets.
"That's a real good seller, especially around Christmas time. People love ferrets," Swihart said.
Green said Main Street Hobby and Pet Center does not stock ferrets because they are a little harder to house. They have carried them in the past, though.
"If (parents) give a ferret, they definitely need some veterinary care. The rest of (our pets) probably don't need anything like that. Hamsters might, but generally not," Green said.
Swihart also said that no one leaves Paws and Claws without receiving some helpful information on how to take care of their new pet. Books on the various pets are also available for purchase at the store.
"Before anything goes out the door, we try to make sure that they know how to take care of their pet," Swihart said.
Green said, "We mainly discuss with them what the housing needs to be for the pets and what it needs for food. We do have some literature for them." [[In-content Ad]]
For a Christmas present, some parents like to give their children a pet.
On Christmas Day, that may not be a wise choice.
"I think a lot of people do (give pets for Christmas). We try to discourage them from getting them and giving them on Christmas Day," said Debbie Swihart, manager of Paws and Claws & Co.
She said there's so much excitement going on Christmas Day already that it's not an ideal situation for a new pet in the household. It is better, she said, to give the pet before or after the holiday.
If a parent does decide to give a pet for Christmas, there are many considerations a parent should think about.
"If you get a dog, and especially if it's a puppy, you need to make sure you're around. For a dog, you need to have a fenced in area so it's not tied up all the time," Swihart said. "You got to make sure you can take care of it."
She said raising a puppy is like raising a baby. There are steps to go through, from potty-training to obedience.
"If you're getting them for a kid, you have to make sure they know how to take care of it," she said.
Paws and Claws doesn't carry dogs and cats, but otherwise carries a large selection of pets. Swihart said anyone interested in getting a dog or cat for their child should adopt one from the Animal Welfare League.
"They need homes," she said.
Linda Mullins, president of the AWL, said, "All the normal things (of pet adoption) still apply for Christmas."
She also said it is probably not best to give the pet to the child on Christmas. Rather, she said, it is best to give the pet after Christmas because it may be neglected during the holidays. AWL also is happy to hold the pet until after the holidays are over.
"We'd be more than happy," Mullins said. "We more than encourage them to do that.
"(The pet) shouldn't be looked at as a gift, it should be looked at as a member of the family."
When a person goes to the AWL, they can talk to someone in charge of placement about what the animal needs and what kind of pet is best for the child in mind. Once the pet is picked out, supplies like a leash for a puppy or a carrier for a cat should be considered, Mullins said.
"Just the basic things you need to take care of a pet," she said.
If someone is thinking about giving a pet to an adult, Mullins said, the adult should be talked to first.
"It's really best to consult with that person. Springing a pet surprise isn't always successful," she said.
The AWL has a wide selection of dogs and cats available. They have 85 to 100 different dogs to choose from and 50 to 75 cats. They have big dogs, little dogs, husky mix puppies and various adult dogs.
Main Street Hobby and Pet Center, Syracuse, doesn't sell dogs or cats. They do sell hamsters, hermit crabs, iguanas, tree frogs, tropical fish and anoles.
"If the child wants to handle them a lot, our pets probably won't work out for them," said Linda Green, general manager.
"Many of our pets are 3 inches long. Children can crush them," she said. "(Parents) need to size the pet to the child."
Some of the animals Paws and Claws carries include a sugar glider, tarantulas, snakes, hermit crabs, birds, guinea pigs, rats, fresh or saltwater fish, mice ... and ferrets.
"That's a real good seller, especially around Christmas time. People love ferrets," Swihart said.
Green said Main Street Hobby and Pet Center does not stock ferrets because they are a little harder to house. They have carried them in the past, though.
"If (parents) give a ferret, they definitely need some veterinary care. The rest of (our pets) probably don't need anything like that. Hamsters might, but generally not," Green said.
Swihart also said that no one leaves Paws and Claws without receiving some helpful information on how to take care of their new pet. Books on the various pets are also available for purchase at the store.
"Before anything goes out the door, we try to make sure that they know how to take care of their pet," Swihart said.
Green said, "We mainly discuss with them what the housing needs to be for the pets and what it needs for food. We do have some literature for them." [[In-content Ad]]