Christmas is five days away, which means in six days, stores will be open to handle refunds and exchanges for all those folks for whom a present just wasn’t quite right.
Most stores have generous policies and will cheerfully accept returns.
But there are some places where returns aren’t greeted with complete enthusiasm.
Near the top of that list are animal shelters.
When an adopted animal is returned to a shelter, it’s always disappointment, said Karen Johnwick, director of the Columbus-Lowndes Humane Society.
“You hate to see it,” she said. “Fortunately, I think we’ve done a pretty good job with our adoption program. We ask a lot of questions in the process, and I think that’s helped. It still happens, though. I’d say, over the past year, from last Thanksgiving until now, we’ve had probably around 10 returns out of, I’m guessing, more than 200 adoptions. As hard as we try, there are always going to be a few.”
In advertising, a kitten piling out of a Christmas box or a puppy adorned with a bow, make Christmas pets seem like a perfect gift.
In reality, it may not play out quite that well, said Columbus veterinarian Dr. Kerry Blanchard.
“A lot of people give puppies and kittens for Christmas gifts,” Blanchard said. “It may not be the best idea.”
Both Blanchard and Johnwick say making a surprise gift of a pet is a poor idea.
“No surprises,” Johnwick said. “We don’t allow that. It’s one of the first things we ask this time of the year. If you do want to give a pet as a surprise, we suggest you buy a stuffed animal and give that, then bring that person to the shelter so they are involved in picking the right pet.”
The idea is sort of like a gift card, in that respect.
Blanchard said a surprise gift of a pet doesn’t take into consideration some very important factors.
“Some people give pets to children, thinking it’s a great way to teach them responsibility,” Blanton said. “In reality, that responsibility almost always falls on the parents. So it’s important to know the parents are ready and able to care for the pet. ”
Johnwick agrees.
“When someone brings back a pet, the number one reason we get is that they didn’t have time to care for it,” she said.
Picking the right pet is essential, too.
“You also need to know what the home environment is like,” Blanchard said. “If you give someone who lives in an apartment a Great Dane puppy that weighs 10 pounds, that might seem fine. But in two weeks, that puppy’s weight has doubled, then tripled. It creates issues if those things aren’t considered and sometimes leads to an unwanted pet, which is never a good thing.”
Adoption vs. breeder purchase
Assuming that all of those questions have been answered and that a pet is the right choice for Christmas, Blanchard said it’s important to know where to shop.
“The first place to go is your local animal shelter, because they have a lot of great dogs there,” Blanton said, noting that shelter pets have been spayed/neutered, been given a clean bill of health by a veterinarian and are current on shots/vaccinations.
If a specific breed is desired that can’t be located in a shelter, Blanton said breeders are an option.
“Just be sure you are dealing with a reputable breeder,” she said. “I always recommend only dealing with an AKC-registered breeder, and you can go online to the AKC registry and find a breeder that meets their standards.”
Johnwick said pet adoptions can be great any time of the year, even Christmas.
“We just want to make sure it’s not an impulse decision,” she said. “We love to see our pets adopted, but we want them to stay adopted. It’s a lifelong commitment.”
When it comes to pet adoptions at Christmastime, “Many Happy Returns” is something shelter directors never want to hear.
Slim Smith is a columnist and feature writer for The Dispatch. His email address is [email protected].
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 35 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
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Brandon Rackley of Tupelo plays with his soon-to-be new best friend at the Columbus-Lowndes County Humane Society Monday afternoon. Rackley has two cats at home and is looking for a dog that will love them just as much as he does. Photo by: Deanna Robinson/Dispatch Staff
