Just because animals look cute under the Christmas tree doesn’t mean they make good holiday gifts. Caring for animals is an enormous responsibility, and they should never be carelessly given as gifts to anyone. I have found a quite interesting article from PETA which talks about 5 reasons why animals shouldn't be given as a Christmas Gift.
I have found a short story about how much attention animals need and what responsibilities it take.
''When I was 11, I was given the cutest puppy I’d ever seen. She was a German shepherd–husky mix, and I fell in love with her right away. In the blissful first weeks of caring for her, I could never have predicted the enormous responsibility that lay ahead. Considering how young I was, being “in charge” of another living being seems absurd in retrospect. I failed to train her, and she later developed behavioral problems that only worsened as she got older, resulting in a tragic end. I’d give anything to go back in time and change things. Now that I know what caring for an animal requires, I can see how ill-equipped my family and I were at that particular time in our lives to be able to care for her properly.
Sadly, stories like mine are not uncommon. No matter how much they’d like to make it work, many people who receive animals as gifts find that they’re unable to make the lifelong commitment to caring for their new animal companion. Animals deserve the best lives possible, but being given as a gift will make that outcome less likely. ''
A child's attention span may be better suited to a stuffed animal.
Animal shelters are filled beyond capacity with homeless animals, many of whom were former “pets”—all because a child lost interest and no one else stepped in and took the time to provide training and care. Dogs need outdoor exercise every single day, and a huge time investment is required to train (and housetrain) a puppy—children are not mature enough to handle this responsibility.
Many people don't want an animal for Christmas.
Has the person expressed an interest in adopting an animal? What type and species of animal would be a good fit? (For example, a well-mannered adult dog or a middle-aged lap cat is often a better fit than a high-energy puppy or kitten.) If a family decides to adopt an animal, every member of the family should go to the local animal shelter together to choose the animal after having discussed the obligations and long-term commitments involved. If you give an animal as a gift, there’s a good chance that the recipient never wanted an animal in the first place, which could result in neglectful treatment.
You may also be giving the 'gift' of debt.
Does the person have space, time, and money to care for an animal? (Caring for an animal companion requires a lifelong commitment, which could go on for over 20 years.) Costs can add up quickly not only for food but also for vet visits and emergency care when the dog swallows a sock or the cat takes a few bites from a toxic houseplant. Is the recipient a busy person? If so, a regular pet sitter and/or dog-walker may be needed. Forbes estimates that the cost of caring for a cat will be “at least $780 a year and $16,800 over [the cat’s] possible 15-year existence.” For a larger dog, it estimates a price tag of “$1,570 a year and, over a 12-year lifetime, [total costs] ranging from $22,025 to upwards of $82,929 for folks using dog walkers.” Forbes’ high estimate for a small dog is even pricier!
You don't have a crystal ball.
No one knows what the future holds. Are there any foreseeable life changes that could make caring for an animal difficult? (And what about the unforeseeable ones?) For example, some people don’t realize that they are allergic to animals until the animal is already in their care. Pookie was kept outdoors until PETA persuaded his family to allow him inside. But that’s when they discovered that their youngest son was allergic, so they ended up asking PETA to take Pookie and find him a new home. He’s now living happily indoors with his new family, but not all animals are that lucky. Many people will leave their companion animal at a crowded shelter, or they’ll pass the animal on to a series of homes, which can lead to behavioral problems and cause trauma and psychological scarring.
A lot can change over the years that could affect a person’s ability to provide proper care for an animal.
There is only one safe way to give an animal as a gift.
If you know someone who really wants a companion animal and is ready for the responsibility, how about giving a gift certificate for the adoption fee at the local animal shelter? Wrap up a food dish and some toys to give along with the gift certificate and put them under the tree. Or you could buy a dog bed or cat carrier and wrap it up with a stuffed animal and the gift certificate. After the holidays, you can all go down to the shelter together and pick out an animal companion who’s just right for the recipient.
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