By
Mary Jane Checchi
When my neighbor, Betty, told me last December that she was
picking up two kittens to surprise her children with on Christmas
morning, I tried to talk her out of it.
"The
children need to be part of the selection process," I
argued. "And most shelters and rescue leagues will insist
that everyone in the household - including the person receiving
the gift - come and meet the animal before an adoption."
Betty
was wavering, so I pressed on. " A holiday is the worst
time to bring a new pet home, for you and the pet. There's
already so much activity and stress. A new pet needs just
the opposite: quiet time, lots of attention, a set routine.
And you'll have even more to worry about, just when you're
swamped."
After
being reminded of the chaos that rules her house each Christmas,
and her own exhaustion, Betty agreed. Instead of kittens under
the tree, she bought a tall "condo cat tree," decorated
it with tinsel and ornaments, and pinned a card to it that
read, "Dear Kids, After Christmas, we'll pick out kittens
together at the ASPCA Shelter."
After
New Year's Day, Betty reported back to me. " I had planned
on adopting some real young kittens, but there weren't any
at the Shelter. The children picked out two six-month-old
brothers that had been given up at the same time. They just
fell in love with them. They weren't the kittens I would have
picked out, but I could the see the chemistry. They're used
to children and litter-box-trained. It's been so easy!"
Betty
had avoided a common pitfall: surprise gifts, however well-intentioned,
don't always work out, and can end up being returned - not
a big deal if the gift is a sweater, but a very big deal if
a live animal is involved. Each time a pet is adopted and
returned, it becomes more confused and frightened, and more
difficult to place in a permanent home.
Even
though parents usually end up being a pet's primary caretaker,
compatibility between children and pets is an important ingredient
in a long-lasting relationship.
A
ten-year old may beg for a dog just like that adorable Taco
Bell Chihuahua she's seen on TV, but until she actually holds
one, she may not realize how tiny and fragile this breed is.
Until they do some research, her parents may not know that
most Chihuahuas are high-strung and not partial to children.
A face-to-face introduction and an informational session -
for children and parents - with a shelter adoption counselor,
veterinarian, or responsible breeder can lead to a better
match.
As
the director of one shelter commented, "It is not unusual
for a family to come to us to adopt a dog. After a session
with one of our counselors, they decide they want a cat instead.
Why? Because of care issues. They didn't realize the time
needed to care for a dog, and end up being much happier with
a cat."
Timing,
in addition to careful selection and planning, has much to
do with successfully adding a pet to the family. Advises Dr.
Michael W. Fox of the Humane Society of the United States,
"The point I always make is that the home should be pet-safe
and quiet for the newly arriving animal, which rules out Christmas
and Hanukkah."
Nervous
kittens climb and pull down trees. Frightened rabbits bolt
out the door when relatives arrive. Excited children forget
to walk the puppy, who then makes a mess on the rug. To add
to the stress, holiday hazards for pets abound, especially
with a new pet.
According
to the American Animal Hospital Association, some of the more
common hazards - for dogs, cats, small mammals such as rabbits
and guinea pigs, and even birds - include:
Chocolate: Dogs love it, but it can be toxic
and even lethal if consumed in large quantities. "This
is one of the most common problems we see at the holidays,"
notes veterinarian Phillip Raclyn of the Riverside Veterinary
Group in Manhattan. "Last year a dog got into a box of
chocolates that was left under the tree and had to be hospitalized
for three days."
Bones: Turkey and ham bones can splinter and
lodge in a pet's throat, stomach, and intestines.
Fats, gravies, poultry skin: "Table scraps
are okay in moderation," advises Dr. Raclyn, "but
if pets eat them in larger amounts than usual, they can get
very sick."
Pine needles from Christmas trees: If eaten,
these can puncture a pet's intestine.
Holiday plants: Holly and mistletoe are poisonous
if ingested. Preservatives used in the water at the base of
a tree: The water is toxic if swallowed.
Ornaments: Tinsel, yarn, ribbon, string, broken
glass and angel hair attract birds, cats, and other pets,
and cause gastrointestinal problems if swallowed.
Electrical cords on holiday lights: These pose
an open invitation to chew for dogs, guinea pigs, rabbits,
ferrets and other pets. If an animal chews through the insulation,
the result can be severe burns or electrocution. Dr. Raclyn
reports that a canine patient who chewed through a cord at
Christmas "did survive - after ten surgeries on his mouth."
It's
easier on everyone concerned (animals and people alike) to
bring a new pet home during a relatively quiet period. For
Jewish families this may actually be during Christmas week:
Hanukkah is over, schools are closed for the winter break,
and parents can take time off from work. For others, the beginning
of a long weekend or a quiet, at-home family vacation is ideal.
Remember
that a new home is stressful for any pet, and a new pet is
stressful for any family. To help you ease the transition,
here are some things to do before you bring a new pet home:
