This Christmas Don’t Gift An Animal – Gift An Idea

Veterinarians for Animal Welfare Aotearoa (VAWA) director Dr Helen Beattie is hoping parents won't buy their children puppies, kittens and rabbits, or any other animal, for Christmas this year.

“Having a companion animal is an emotional commitment,” she says. “If your child loses interest in their puppy because the puppy grew up, or your cat is anxious, toilets in the house, or has petting aggression – will you be able to be everything this animal needs, and love and care for them through their quirks? For a decade or more?"

“This year we can expect to see countless TikTok videos of children being surprised by puppies and kittens for Christmas. Nobody wants to be the Christmas grinch here, but it’s important to state what should be obvious: animals are for life, not just for Christmas.

“They’re lovely, they’re fluffy, they’re oh-so-cute – and companion animals should never be a spur of the moment purchase. They should never be gifted - they should be chosen, following a lot of thought. They’re a lifelong commitment – cats can live for 20 years or more; small sized dogs can live up to 15 to 18 years; large dogs can live for a decade or longer.”

“Your very cute Frenchie, Boston terrier, or English bulldog (and also flat nosed cats and rabbits) can have really serious welfare issues due to their short faces. Although very common, their snoring is not normal, and is often associated with a poor welfare experience - air hunger is a really, really stressful experience for people and animals. If surgery is needed to try and improve their breathing and welfare, it’s a specialist procedure and is not funded by the government like human health care. Consider this before getting one of these breeds.”

Her message to families is: Take your time, get it right - because animals aren’t just for Christmas.

Comments from Dr Beattie:

“If you are going to adopt a new family member, ask yourself, do you have and will you always have a home that suits a cat or dog? What about travel? Will you move about a lot? Who are you getting the animal for? Will the kids still be at home and interested in 5 years?

It’s so important to consider the commitment of care you (not your kids) are taking on. When you adopt a companion animal, there’s a big focus on the first 6 to 12 months of care. But that’s just the start as there’s always a need for ongoing, lifelong care. It's a really good idea to do a lot of research about the breed or type of dog that will fit your life. It’s crucial to also check out what health and welfare issues your preferred breed may have.

Your very cute Frenchie, Boston terrier, or English bulldog (and also flat nosed cats and rabbits) can have really serious welfare issues due to their short faces. Although very common, their snoring is not normal, and is often associated with a poor welfare experience - air hunger is a really, really stressful experience for people and animals. If surgery is needed to try and improve their breathing and welfare, it’s a specialist procedure and is not funded by the government like human health care. Consider this before getting one of these breeds. Make an appointment with your veterinarian to chat about the costs of the breed you want to bring into your life.

Companion animals require a stable family life, just like people. Moving house can be very stressful for everyone. There are things we can do to make this easier and you should speak to your veterinarian about things like pheromone products that help reduce stress and get advice about various species’ abilities to manage such changes.

Many cats don’t like being shifted around. Ideally we’d have cats kept safe and happy at home, but if this isn’t the case, cats like to set up territories, and this may include areas outside their home property. When they’re shifted to a new place, there’s new cats, dogs, and neighbours to figure out – the stress of this may result in peeing inside, and spraying. There are fights to be had as new neighbours figure each other out - veterinary visits may need to follow these skirmishes.

So if you move often or don’t see yourself providing a stable home it might not be the right time to get an animal - or perhaps choose fish (not an axolotl!)!

We often focus most, understandably, on how our children will feel about getting a new family member. But the feelings and experiences of the animal matters too. If you have very young children, will your kitten or puppy feel overwhelmed by this? Can you supervise them around a toddler or baby?

There are other things to think about too. For example, rabbits must be kept in pairs - bunny bonding is very important; many cats prefer to live on their own; a dog may become distressed if you’re at work full time. Some dogs start to feel anxious after just four hours at home alone. Will you be at work for eight to nine hours a day for five or more days a week? How will the cat or dog manage that?

Like us, animals have different personalities and needs. We need to think about what they want and need, not just what we want them to do when joining our family. Some are outgoing and gregarious, others are shy, or a bit scared of the big wide world – those animals need support for their personalities, and not be pressured to fit into our view of how they should do life.

When people think of socialisation, they often think about their dogs meeting and being comfortable around other dogs. Socialisation is much more than that – it’s about learning how to do life, including cars, trains, beaches, thunder, shops, buses, children, wheelchairs. Everything! Supporting their needs while making sure they fit our social structures is important, including managing and setting expectations around their dogginess. Rushing, jumping, barking, biting, mating, scavenging are all normal dog behaviours – we just generally don’t find these things acceptable. It’s important to understand this and work with the dog, and experts to manage these behaviours – by doing so, a more harmonious relationship can be formed that keeps dogs, people and society safe.

Companion animals come with costs. It’s a great idea to get pet insurance to help cover some of the expense. For cats, dogs and rabbits, there’s the initial costs of getting the animal and bowls, collars, leads, and beds (and other fun things!), registration (dogs), inserting a registered microchip and desexing them. Then there’s ongoing costs - food, flea and worm treatments, and an annual check-up with your veterinarian. Then there’s extra for experts – treatment for that cat fight, broken bone, car accident or other diseases.

And think about contingency planning – what if you have an accident or go on holiday and can’t walk your dog – you’ll need an alternative such as an animal sitter, dog walker, cat carer or use a kennel or cattery.

But most importantly, having a companion animal is an emotional commitment. If your child loses interest in their puppy because the puppy grew up, or your cat is too anxious and she’s no longer able to be picked up – will you be able to be everything this animal needs, and love and care for them through their quirks? For a decade or more?

If you’re set on helping a companion animal have a great home – pause. For Christmas, don’t gift an animal, gift the idea of a new family member. Then instead of a cat or dog for Christmas day, wrap up a bag of food, give a gift voucher or donation, and provide these to an adoption or rescue home.

As a family, after Christmas and after you’ve googled, researched, checked, looked (you MUST visit the parents of the puppy or kitten; do not buy over the internet), thought a lot, and spoken to your veterinarian, you can decide what companion animal is right for you and your family.

Take your time, get it right - because animals aren’t just for Christmas.

© Scoop Media