this is why animals shouldn't be christmas presents

[forensic]

I see so many ads for 'christmas' kittens/puppies/etc... They just make me sad....

Rodents too... I know one family that bought their children two rats for christmas... one eventually 'was gone'. The other 'went away'. If they'd asked, I'd have taken them in when their children grew bored of the poor things and stopped feeding them. GRR.

 

[littleraven7726]

Originally Posted by strange_wings

^Reptiles and rodents always get the short end of the stick. They're usually treated as disposable in stores to begin with.

Originally Posted by Forensic

Rodents too... I know one family that bought their children two rats for christmas... one eventually 'was gone'. The other 'went away'. If they'd asked, I'd have taken them in when their children grew bored of the poor things and stopped feeding them. GRR.

All of my rodents have been from the local shelter, I just can't bring myself to buy one from a pet store. I can't believe how many guinea pigs they've had available this year.

I adopted 4 mice (all girls) before Christmas, but I've wanted another rodent for a couple years now.

Both the local Craigslist and paper have been full of puppy/kitten ads for Christmas presents.

 

[sakura]

I had no idea that humane societies/shelters had small animals other than cats and dogs. I just found that out when I started volunteering at ours. We get rats, mice, guinea pigs, rabbits, birds, ferrets...

A girl came into the shelter where I volunteer with a rabbit. Apparently, her sister gave her the rabbit but she didn't want one and her apartment won't allow them anyway.

I'm sure it happens all the time, but that's the most recent one that sticks out in my mind.


My dad & step-mom's dog was a Christmas gift...but it was for themselves. A woman who works with my step-dad adopted a dog from a shelter and the dog turned out to be pregnant (I guess the shelter assumed she was spayed because of a scar?). Anyway, the dog had puppies and they needed homes. My dad & step-mom wanted a dog anyway and so they said that they would take one. The puppy was too young to be taken away from her littermates at Christmas, so they put a picture of her on the tree and my younger brother and sister opened it. It was really sweet.

The dog is now 5 and is a big sweetheart.

 

[breal76]

I know at our shelter we sell gift certificates for adoptions.

This is the perfect present. Peson can pick a cat/dog/bird/rodent..Whatever they want. Or they can get the money donated to the shelter.

We do not adopt out presents. To be quite honest though as hard as one can look at a potential adopter, and question them till their eye balls fall out. You never really know if you are giving the pet a good ever lasting home.

It's a risk shelters take everyday. Sometimes you win, and sometimes you lose. What sucks the worst is when you lose on the animal you have been rooting for the most.

 

[jugen]

My neighbors kids got them a 6 week old puppy for xmas. I've only seen them outside with that dog once since they got it, that was yesterday and it was raining!!! They are an older retired couple. I feel horrible for that dog. So I'm watching and making sure that I at least see it once in awhile, and make sure it's looking ok, otherwise the animal control will be in our neighborhood...