The holidays are here folks and while I don’t want to be a Scrooge or a Grinch, I WAS going to put the kibosh on the idea of gifting a surprise pet for the holidays. Except under very specific circumstances (outlined below), I was of the belief that gifting a pet, as a surprise, is a REALLY bad idea.

I know it sounds really sweet. I mean who wouldn’t want to open a beautifully wrapped present (that has appropriate breathing holes) to find a box full of adorable puppy breath? Am I right?

But let’s think this through. First of all, loving the idea of a puppy or kitten or any other critter is very different from having one dropped in your lap without preparation. After the initial excitement wears off, the gift recipient is left with a live animal that requires a very serious financial, emotional and physical commitment of roughly 10-20 years depending on the type of animal. That’s pretty serious.

However, it turns out that the research doesn’t totally support my theory. “In 2013, the ASPCA surveyed people who had received their pets as gifts in order to learn more about their attachment to – and the retention of – that pet. We also explored the difference in those factors for those that obtained their gifted pet as a surprise. Our research found there is no correlation between getting an animal as a gift and an owner’s love and attachment to the pet – even if that pet was a surprise gift – and no increased risk of relinquishment for dogs and cats received as gifts.​”

This was really interesting to me because at the same time, December tends to see a major intake of surrendered pets at shelters across the country. Frequently, and disturbingly, according to this Huff Post piece, also from 2013, many relinquished animals during the holidays are family pets whose families have failed to plan for their animals around holiday vacations or from an inability to care for the pet with looming holiday expenses. (Don’t get me started!) This provides some explanation as to why so many shelters are at capacity this time of year.

If you are really set on surprising your loved one with a new pet companion, there are some really important questions to ask first:

If the recipient is a minor, have you cleared this with the parents and are said parents willing to assume full responsibility for the pet?

Does the receiver rent or own their place?

Do they have a yard or are you absolutely positive that they will provide adequate outdoor exercise time?

If they rent, did you get prior landlord approval?

Does the recipient have the financial means to take care of a new pet? Food, vet care, training, boarding or daycare, emergencies, etc. add up quickly and pet care for a dog can run anywhere from $500 per year into the thousands of dollars per year. Talk about a gift that keeps on giving…

Is the recipient’s lifestyle really conducive to having a fulltime pet?

Has the recipient had a pet before? If not, what resources can you share to make the transition easier?

When is it okay to give a pet as a surprise gift? In my opinion, an animal should only be given as a surprise when you have answered the questions above and are 100% confident that the recipient wants and is financially, emotionally and physically capable of caring for the pet AND you are 100% committed to keeping the pet if the recipient is unable to do so. This is just my opinion. That being said, given the ASPCA’s findings, gifting a pet may be the perfect holiday gift

To be very clear, I stand by the Adopt Don’t Shop approach so please visit your local shelter for that perfect gift, which has the added benefit of saving a life.

Some holiday gift ideas for the pet lovers in your life: 

 Gifts for existing pets like an Honest Kitchen Starter Kit or Bark Box membership

 A gift certificate for training classes

 A gift to a rescue or shelter in their name

 A gift certificate to a shelter or rescue for an adoption fee for when they are ready to adopt

 A calendar of shirtless firemen posing with dogs (Okay…maybe that’s just for me)

Have you ever given or received a pet as a surprise gift? What do you think about gifting pets as surprises?