7 Reasons Not to Give Kids Pets for Christmas

Your child has been asking for a pet for a while now. He's hoping you'll cave and buy a puppy or kitten for Christmas. Be a good parent: give your child a video or book on cat or dog care, and plan to adopt a cat or dog after the holidays.

The holidays are busy. We're either traveling or having a house full of guests. Bringing home a new pet on Christmas Day means you can either ignore your guests or that new puppy or kitten.

Here are a few reasons why you shouldn’t bring a pet home on Christmas:

1. Pets require a lot of attention—especially when they are introduced to a new environment.
2. Puppies, kittens, dogs, and cats need time to adjust, and those first few days in a new home are critical.
3. It’s hard to house train a puppy when your home is filled with guests.
4. The gifts, gift wrap, foods, and other items can be hazardous to your new pet’s health—especially if you are too busy to be watching over him.
5. Christmas time can be too noisy for pets.
6. You will need to supervise new pets and children when they are together. This will prevent any harm coming to the child or the pet.
7. If your child didn’t ask for a pet or has not done any research, he may not be ready for the responsibility. You need to sit down with your child and talk to him about what’s involved in caring for a pet. This should be done over the course of a few weeks.

Getting a Pet after the Holidays

Talk to your children, and do your research regarding pet adoption. When you are ready to adopt, check out these tips.

Michele C. Hollow writes the animal advocacy blog Pet News and Views.