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Animal shelter warns against giving pets as gifts
A local animal shelter is warning people to avoid giving loved ones animals as gifts due to the high return rate on those animals.
WEST MILWAUKEE, Wis. - Many are still in the hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping days before the holiday.
But shelters say animals should not be a last minute item.
Noelle is a fast and fun little puppy, and like many of the animals at the Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control Commission, she's also what some people see as a potential holiday present.
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"We certainly see people who come in who are interested in gifting," MADACC volunteer Amy Beres said.
But it's not just that simple.
Although pets like Noelle are very cute, fluffy, interactive and hyper, those at MADACC say they should not be treated as commodities or last-minute gifts for the holidays.
"Although a gift may be temporary, when you give a gift of a live animal, it’s a long-term commitment that someone may not be ready for," adoption coordinator Gabrielle McCabe said.
McCabe said there's so much to think about when adopting or gifting a pet during the holidays, like life expectancy, health costs and preventive care. She said the holidays are when some people are at their busiest.
"Getting a pet around the time of the holidays when someone may not be prepared to devote that time or that energy could be the reason that they may surrender a pet or rehome it," McCabe said.
McCabe said when some people realize they can't care for a new pet, it could become a stray or a surrender, and they end up back at a shelter, taking a toll on many that are already at capacity, and the pets get caught in the middle.
"If you were kind of picked up and displaced into different homes, it’d be stressful on you, it’s the same for an animal," Beres said.
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Those at MADACC say you shouldn't be discouraged from adopting or gifting, but to just make sure you do your research and plan long-term.
"We really just want to make sure people are prepared and know what they’re getting into," Beres said.
MADACC said they do have programs available so you can get into the holiday spirit with animals, like photos, dogwalking and even fostering. They say visiting shelters or even volunteering is a good way to get familiar with animals before impulsively purchasing or adopting.