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I Want A Puppy For Christmas! by John Maniatty V.M.D.
want a puppy or kitten for Christmas! This is a common wish from both young and old. This can be a joyous event with long-term happiness or a source of frustration that ends in returning or surrendering the pet. So how can we hopefully get the former rather than the latter? First, you should know that there is never a guarantee but answering a few questions and doing simple research may make all the difference in the outcome. Step one is to assess who the pet is for and what their expectations will be. For young kids, are they mature enough to handle responsibilities like cleaning a litter box, walking a dog, feeding the pet, picking up toys that could get chewed? Are they mature enough to not feed inappropriate things? Will they get bored and stop interacting with the pet? We need to look at the parents in this case too. If the children cannot or stop caring for the pet, are they willing or do they have the time to handle the care? With seniors, we have to look at life expectancy. Will the pet outlive them and is there someone willing to adopt if the lifespan does not match? On occasion, I have to address this scenario; "Can you euthanize this pet? My parent has passed or is going to an assisted living home, and the pet cannot go. I don't want it." In a similar but different scenario, young kids grow up move out and cannot take the pet. The parents have neither the time nor inclination to take care of it. The pet suffers due to neglect. They bring it in to euthanize and