Ilda Rosa Veterinarian Professor from Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária da Universidade de Lisboa Most people who like animals have thought about having one at home. Sometimes the idea that having a pet at home will be an excellent option is not even for the own family, it also includes friends and other family members. And there are more favorable times for these ideas, Christmas, birthdays and other celebrations that usually involve gifts are among them. But will offering a pet be a good idea? No, it really is not! An animal is not something that can be returned or exchanged by other thing. If whoever receives it cannot or does not want to have it, or even does not have any empathy with it, what is the solution? At Christmas, on a birthday or on any other occasion, anyone who receives an animal as a surprise gift may not be able to take care of its needs and the pet was not even their choice or decision : May not really want the animal or may not be prepared for a commitment that has an impact on available time, financial resources, necessary energy and affection to be given; May not have the necessary housing conditions to receive an animal, nor be able to find someone who can take care of the animal if one day he cannot do it; May not have the necessary time and energy for the pet education and maintenance of proper physical condition and health. It is often children who are presented with an animal and are not even old enough to have that responsibility. Or the gift could be for an older person who does not have the necessary physical conditions to take care of the animal that was offered. Having an animal is very comforting, but the decision has to be carefully considered . It means taking on a long-term responsibility that cannot end with the first setbacks. It implies a commitment for the life of the animal, which in many cases will be for more than 15 years. In addition to high time costs, it has also emotional and financial costs that have to be considered and even health issues of the family in which the animal will be integrated that have to be evaluated. The reason to offer a pet cannot be because it is a solution to loneliness or because it will be good for children to grow up with. Choosing an animal as a new companion at home is not a decision that can be influenced by impulses, nor by the desire to offer a surprise for Christmas, birthday or any other occasion. Demand and abandonment of animals The demand for animals, especially at an early age, babies or very young ones, increases significantly at Christmas time. The consequences are known. It is common, days or months after the surprise and the presence of the animal at home, to be followed by rejection and abandonment. A lot of animals living in kennels / catteries, protective associations or rehoused in family homes are animals that were offered . In the summer, with the holidays, the biggest abandonment is mainly due to not having a place to leave the animals and not being able to bear the costs of contracting this service. However, this is also the solution that many people find to solve a problem that someone else cause (or that they caused because they did not properly consider their decision). Most often, abandoned animals are relatively young, aged 7 months and 1 year, which were purchased or received at Christmas. Another common reason for pet abandonment is the normal changes in their behavior and appearance as they grow up. It is easy to love a baby pet and think that it will be very pleasant to share the space with it. But animals grow up, lose their cuddly appearance and even mess up and destroy things at home, especially if there is no time to educate them. When you are not prepared for these issues, which are more common when you receive an animal as surprise gift, abandonment is a common way out. Nowadays, there are already many breeders, kennels / catteries and animal protection associations that put obstacles to the acquisition / adoption of animals at this time of the year, in an attempt to prevent them from being gifts, with the risk of being discarded by someone who was not ready to have them. Dogs are more affected than cats because due to the species seasonal breeding pattern there are not many baby kittens at Christmas time. What to think about before deciding to have an animal at home Even when you are already sure you want to have an animal at home, you have to decide which animal is the most suitable and there are many factors to consider: Species, purebred or crossbreed, older or younger, big or small, fur, feathers or scales, long or short fur, female or male, neutered or intact, and so on. Some of these factors are closely related to appearance, but this is not the only aspect to be considered. The personality and background of the animals are very relevant questions: They also affect the time, costs and involvement required; They are decisive for the affinity that needs to exist between the animal and the family that welcomes it. Do not offer a pet as a surprise gift! It could turn out to be a 'poisoned gift' because it was not thought through, decided on, sought after and chosen by the person to whom you were going to offer it. And if it is for your family, think through everything it takes to make an informed final decision . Having an animal cannot be out of impulse or passion. It is, first of all, a commitment for the whole life of the animal that has to be good for everyone: the family members and the animal. If this is respected, sharing life with pets will always be rewarding.
