Giving someone a pet as a surprise gift is a bit like giving them a tattoo. It's not the kind of gift you spring upon someone: they've got to want it first.
These misguided "pet presents" too often wind up back in the shelter by January, unwanted and lonely again, back at square one.
But perhaps you are certain that that person on your list truly does want a pet, or maybe you're the one who's decided it's time to adopt a pet. The holidays are a great time to incorporate that new pet into your family, what with all the cozy, warm vibes floating around. (Just keep the new pet away from the tinsel and shortbread).
IAMS' Home 4 the Holidays makes it easier by giving pointers and helping you locate pets in your region that are available for adoption. Their worldwide campaign has set a goal to see 1 million pets adopted this holiday season, so they’ve done the research for you by locating shelters with the help of Petfinder.com.
And when a pet adoption does work out, the results can be gratifying for both parties. Just ask Kate Svenson and Jay Finnan, Boston, Massachusetts animal lovers who routinely adopt pets from shelters.
Svenson shares her home with her fiancé Finnan, two cats and a rabbit named Confucius, who came to them by way of a shelter in Los Angeles. Svenson had found Confucius on http://www.rabbit.org/ and decided to make him her Daily Bunny adoption story on her blog http://www.dailybunny.com/, which she and Finnan run together. When she heard that he’d been at the shelter for a year since he was a baby, she became interested in him for herself. Finnan happened to be on a business trip going through L.A., and so he picked Confucius up from the shelter while there and brought him back to Boston.
“From all of our experience — with not only rabbits but cats, dogs, and other animals — adopting from a shelter is the only way to go when looking for a pet,” says Svenson. “There are so many animals in shelters already looking for homes… We also support spaying and neutering animals — rabbits included — for the very same reason. There are already enough competing for good homes.”
Most people are aware of the challenges of owning a cat or a dog. Certain breeds of dogs require more exercise and grooming than others, for example. And both cats and dogs can rack up expensive vet bills, particularly as they age and require more care. It’s roughly a 12 to 20 year commitment, especially for a cat, which lives longer than a dog on average.
If it’s a bunny you’re considering for adoption, you’ve got to remember that the happiest bunny isn’t just locked away in a hutch somewhere and forgotten, says Svenson.
“Bunnies are very social animals,” she says. “They do tend to be like cats in that each bunny is quite individual... many bunnies do not like to be picked up, but absolutely love to be petted. They do play with toys…and many bunnies just love to be with people.
“Probably the biggest misconceptions about rabbits are that they are boring, unintelligent, and will be just fine living in a little hutch. It is just the
opposite. Think about it: rabbits can be as big as cats and have the brains to match, so of course they need roaming room, stimulation and attention.”
They might not be for everyone, she cautions. A bunny might be okay in a multi-level cage or dog exercise pen, but nothing with a wire bottom that could harm their feet or cause arthritis. Svenson’s bunny gets the use of two rooms of her house that are bunny-proofed (because they chew, wires and other harmful objects should be kept out of their way).
Rabbits can be litterbox trained easily, she adds. And because they need to chew to stay healthy, it’s important to give them safe chew toys. They need a vet check-up about once a year, which is the same for a dog or cat. Bunnies live to about 8 or 10 years old, so they are not a minor commitment. Svenson recommends rescue group http://www.rabbit.org/ for more information and links to bunny adoption shelters.
