I wholeheartedly agree....
Years ago, my former husband gave me a Lab puppy for Christmas. Although I had been talking about it and had begun looking, the timing was not right, and he understood absolutely nothing about what I was truly looking for. He chose a cute little girl who was the last one left in a litter, but she came from a backyard breeder, was poorly socialized, was loaded with parasites, and came from parents with no genetic testing. At the busiest (and worst time weather-wise), I then had a puppy to take for numerous vet visits, and begin house-training in the dead of winter.

Fast-forward more than twelve years... I still have her and love her dearly, but Sadie is still timid; an elderly, arthritic Lab with hip dysplasia, and even after corrective surgery, inherited juvenile cataracts have impaired her vision for most of her life.

My dog will live out her days with me, but the poor choice of a "gift" has impacted not only my budget in the form of vet bills, but the quality of my dog's life.
Please don't give pets as gifts!

anecdotes do not make data. many people get pets as gifts and it works out just fine.

I got my first cat as a gift from my parents. I received a collar in a box on my birthday morning and we went out later that day to pick the actual kitten out.

I gave a hedgehog as a graduation gift to a friend. Several of us chipped in for cage, etc. and discussed the gift ahead of time with the breeder my friend had found, then surprised her with the accoutrements and told her that the hedgie was paid for whenever she was ready to pick one out.

I think it is possible to gift a pet well, but the recipient should be the one to pick the actual pet out and a responsible adult needs to know ahead of time and be prepared. It's really more of a "I know you want X and when you are financially and otherwise prepared I have the money to do so let me know and we can go to find X."

Totally agree, though, that a puppy or kitten under the tree is inappropriate and that you should NEVER get a pet for a child if the parents are not 110% on board.

I echo all the sentiments above.

Give a food dish, a litter box, a gift certificate to the shelter, but please don't ever give a live animal as a gift... especially during the winter holidays.

And parents - please remember that no matter how responsible your child is, YOU are the one with the primary responsibility for the critter's care.

not every one lives in a cold climate.. in many places the best warmer weather is at Christmas time.. balmy in FLA.. cooler than the hot summer of AZ and more.. so Christmas is a perfect time to socialize and train and have your pet outdoors..

If a family has decided on a pet, and has picked one out (via shelter, rescue, or responsible breeder), I personally have no issue with the pet appearing Christmas morning. I know some rescues will bring their adopted pets to the family Christmas morning with a note from Santa or something of the like. If the family is decent about it the day could be a good socialization lesson for the puppy! You want that pup to meet a lot of folks after all.

It may not be perfectly ideal, but what IS in this world? A lot of shelters and rescues talk of adopting out NO pets this time of year, which means they're languishing in shelters and maybe even euthanized in some cases. And some of those folks might turn to buying one at a pet store, which is far from ideal. If a family is properly vetted, I don't see why it's a problem for them to get the dog on Christmas as opposed to any other day. Sure housebreaking in the winter can be tough, but many people have done it successfully!

I do NOT feel that it's ever appropriate to give a pet as a gift to someone though. The person or family needs to pick out what THEY want. A gift certificate to a local shelter or an "IOU one cat/dog from any shelter or rescue" could be perfect gifts however. Then the person can pick out the animal that fits best in their home.

When I was young my folks were victims of the "give a dog as a pet" thing. Friends of the family knew they were looking for a dog and they bred huskies, so they gave a puppy to my parents. That was totally the wrong dog for my family. My parents wanted a relaxed house dog, one that was satisfied with a not so long walk a couple times a day, and not one who would quickly outweigh their fairly young children (I was only about 5 at the time) and whose boisterousness would knock the kids over and scare them. The puppy ended up being given to my Aunt and Uncle who saw her and were happy to take her since they wanted a dog too and had older children. So I've seen firsthand what "puppy as present" is like!

many people get animals as gifts and love them forever.. I sold a pup to a man who gave the dog to his wife for Christmas.. it was the perfect gift.. .. you cannot make an equivocal yes or no on this subject..I do find it strange.. Shelters are pushing shelter pets as gifts all over the internet ( ever wonder why so many "busts" happen a few weeks before the holidays?)yet they decry the idea that anyone would actually buy a pet for a present..goose/gander??

You are for giving pets as gifts because you make money selling pets? Hmm. Well, if they are never listed in a newspaper or online or on Craigslist, if they are never brokered to pet stores, if they are tested and certified as per breed club standards, and socialized with children and if their parents are kept as loved, in-house companions in your home, maybe I could begin to listen to your opinion.
The shelters you seem to disdain are trying to save a life, not make a buck - well, you asked what the difference is.

oh please spare me your holier than thou blah blah blah. I sell puppies when I breed a litter.I hope to make money.. sometimes yes.. sometimes no but what business is it of yours? How I sell them is my business, who I sell them to is also my business and when i sell them is also my business. Why do you find it necessary to make it yours? if I want to put an ad in the paper.. or on a website.. how does that make me any different than "petfinder" on the web.. or ads in papers .. even the "pennysavers' for "rescue dogs only $200.. need homes for the holidays"? it is still a free country no matter how hard people like you are trying to change that.

You're right Alice. It's a free country. Which is why you're able to breed dogs who have no titles, no championships, without doing any health and genetic testing, while other dogs who deserve a good home are put down in the back of a shelter. Just so YOU can make money off your dogs. I am 100% for responsible breeding, so don't get me wrong. But this sort of irresponsible "just in it to make money" is why so many dogs are put down every year.

I'd love for you to walk through a shelter sometime, watch as they bring those sad and scared homeless pets to the back and put them down. All because it's a FREE country and people are FREE to do with their "property" as they wish.

again spare me.. how do you know when and if I go to my local shelter..how do you have any idea about my dogs.. their health records. their titles.. answer.. you don't

on one hand people like you say
You don't need papers.. get a shelter dog.. then.. you are a bad breeder.. your dogs don't have papers.. that is called a circuitous argument
and of course people making money from breeding dogs has nothing to do with dogs being killed in shelters.. you cannot prove that.. or even argue your case

DO they have titles? The fact that you say you want to make money on them leads me to believe that they don't. Because responsible breeders do not make money off their litters. The process of getting titles (often in multiple things, not just conformation), health and genetic tests, and all the proper care for the mother, payment of stud fees, etc. means that they actually LOSE money on every litter they breed. It's a labor of love.

I'm not really sure I get your statement about shelter dogs not having papers. You're right. They don't. But I'm not talking about having papers. Anyone with purebred puppies can register them with the AKC. That doesn't mean they're a responsible breeder.

Tell me this Alice, what happens to the puppies you sell if someone finds they can't keep them? Like, let's say 2 years down the road someone finds that they're in a dire financial situation and they can no longer have the dog they bought from you. What becomes of the dog in that situation?

sigh.. no not any one with two pure bred dogs can resister them with the AKC
meanwhile what difference does it make if the dogs anyone breeds have titles? do shelter dogs have titles? Does a dog need a tile to be a well bred dog or to produce well bred dogs?
Who cares if the breeder makes money? I am sure doctors and veterinarians find that their jobs are also "labors of love " but they still want and need to make a living.. Would you say Dr. Coates should not charge for her services? and if she does she should not "make money: because her job is 'labor of love"? She has paid to be educated.. shelled out $$ for a practice,, employees, equipment and ore.. so she should lose money? why is a good breeder who does all of the the things you mention any different?

My shelter mutt has three titles, actually.

But I'm not breeding her. Getting titles on a dog means that it is conformationally sound and that it can do the job it was bred for. THAT is why getting titles is important for a dog you are going to breed.

I'm not even going to touch the comparison between someone who does something for a living, especially someone who does such hard work as veterinarian work and a breeder trying to make money off their dogs.

You still have not answered the question. What happens to your dogs when someone you sold them to no longer can keep them?

My shelter mutt has three titles, actually.

>. congratulations

But I'm not breeding her.

>> hmm aren't shelter dogs required to be spayed and neutered before placement so they don' add to "pet overpopulation"? How did you get so lucky to get a breedable dog that you call a 'shelter mutt"? and get titles on her as well? will wonders never cease?

Getting titles on a dog means that it is conformationally sound and that it can do the job it was bred for. THAT is why getting titles is important for a dog you are going to breed.

>> oh I see. how could I be so stupid.. it is the ribbon that counts. A working sheep dog needs a title to do its work and be "breedable".. who knew?

I'm not even going to touch the comparison between someone who does something for a living, especially someone who does such hard work as veterinarian work and a breeder trying to make money off their dogs.

>> why not? it is a very valid comparison. Veterinarians work hard.. so do good breeders. Is there a reason that a breeder should not make money for doing hard work but a veterinarian should? If they are good at what they do they will and rightfully SHOULD be rewarded.. aren't the good breeders the ones we want to see continue to breed healthy dogs so that Dr. Coates will have a healthy population of clients?

You still have not answered the question. What happens to your dogs when someone you sold them to no longer can keep them?

> why I shoot them and leave the for the buzzards. Isn't that what you think all breeders do?

excuse me now I must attend to my "companions"
meanwhile.back to the question.. should a pet enter a household during a holiday season? the answer is yes .. and no..

My dog is spayed. If the shelter had given her to me unspayed, I would have had her spayed. I have no interest in breeding her.

You don't seem to understand what titles ARE. It's not about ribbons. It's about PROOF. That your dog can do their job. I somehow doubt you're breeding working sheepdogs, but even most of those have titles in herding. And if they don't, they're proven time and time again while actually doing their job. However, most sheepdogs these days aren't actually working sheep for a living. But they ARE out there trialing in herding to prove they CAN (they are also trialing in other areas they excel, like agility, obedience, etc.).

It is NOT a valid thing to compare what someone has worked and studied to do, a job that takes compassion and education and a hell of a lot of smarts to do to someone who is throwing together two dogs of the same breed and hoping for puppies. Because it will "bring in extra money." Comparing them does a serious disservice to vets everywhere. GOOD breeders do work hard. They train their dogs to do the jobs they were meant to do, they title them in conformation and sports, they get their dogs properly tested (health and genetic), they get their hips X-rayed, their eyes tested, etc. They pick out a proper stud who will complement their bitch and pay the fee to use him. Then they properly socialize their puppies, they vet everyone who is looking for a puppy and find the right homes. They write contracts for those people so that they agree to certain things. And they sure don't make much money. Not enough to live on, that's for sure.

But I suspect, from your answers here, that you are NOT a good breeder.

And your sarcastic answer tells me all I need to know: you don't do anything with them. You're probably not even contact with the people who buy your puppies. You probably don't KNOW what even becomes of those puppies. And THAT is why you are part of the problem.

your hubris and righteous indignation tells me you have never bred a litter of puppies and that our knowledge of what a good breeder does is very limited. Your assumptions could not be more incorrect regarding my breeding program but that is of no concern to me. That is what happens when one does not allow for multiple situations and thinks everything and every situation should fit into their personal idea of a round hole.
May your Christmas be Merry and Bright

Oh Alice. What more can I say to you? I have never bred a litter. You're right. I deal with rescue dogs and I'm not interested in breeding, nor do I have the money to do breeding the proper way. So I adopt shelter mutts and rescue dogs and work with them. But it doesn't mean I don't know GOOD breeders. Some are good friends, some take classes with me. And I hear their complaints constantly about people like you. The ones who sell dogs as gifts, who advertise their litters on the paper or on CL, who try to make money off their dogs. And they have every reason to complain. People like that are ruining the breed and adding to the over population problem.

I allow for multiple situations. What I don't condone is people with poor breeding practices.

"GOOD breeders do work hard. They train their dogs to do the jobs they were meant to do, they title them in conformation and sports, they get their dogs properly tested (health and genetic), they get their hips X-rayed, their eyes tested, etc. They pick out a proper stud who will complement their bitch and pay the fee to use him. Then they properly socialize their puppies, they vet everyone who is looking for a puppy and find the right homes. They write contracts for those people so that they agree to certain things. And they sure don't make much money. Not enough to live on, that's for sure."

why not.. why should they do all of this and not make money? vets make money,handlers make money.. dog food companies make money.Show superintendents make money. heck even vendors at shows make money all of them make enough money to live on.. so why should breeders be excluded from making enough money to live on, especially when they do all of the things you have listed above. I would think you would want those breeders to make money so they will continue to be able to do what you think is good breeding practice.
If as you say GOOD ( your caps not mine)breeders work hard.. why should they not be rewarded with money?

You seem to not quite understand my point.

It's not that I don't think they SHOULD make money. It's that it's NOT POSSIBLE to make money, unless they charge thousands of dollars per puppy (and have several puppies).

my dear.. please write back after you have actually bred a few litters. stop "supposing" and proselytizing to those who have been breeding dogs for years.. finished multiple champions in several areas.. traveled the world showing and judging... mentored 10-20 people in your own breed. won your own national specialty multiple times and know that yes it is possible to make some money breeding dogs and that not all breeders are the same but that that does not make them "bad".. and when you do that.. get back to me.. oh and don't forget to send in that donation to your local breed rescue.. and also a nice check to the Canine Health Foundation.
oh i forgot.. you are not "interested" in breeding".. so why the hand wringing and nasty comments. You don;t really want to run with the big dogs.. so why all of the complaining
Merry Christmas

Oh please Alice. Stop lying to everyone here. You can pretend all you want that you're some responsible breeder but you're NOT. Your earlier statements about breeding are totally contradictory to this pretend message (straight from "la la land" I guess) about being in showing and judging and mentoring people and doing the right things.

And thanks for the snarky messages about donations. Just yesterday I donated a bit of money to a puppy with a heart condition who needs major surgery to repair it. I also do rescue transports to get plenty of dogs (both purebred and not) out of shelters. Dogs who were bought from breeders like you and then dumped at shelters when their owners could no longer handle them.

I'm not sure what "running with the big dogs" has anything to do with not wanting to breed. There are enough BYB dogs out there and since I don't have the money to do breeding RIGHT, I'm not interested in doing it. I prefer not to add to the population problems. I also happen to like mutts. And unlike plenty of people, I would never want to breed mutts.

. I prefer not to add to the population problems. I also happen to like mutts. And unlike plenty of people, I would never want to breed mutts."

so which is it? You want people to breed mutts so you will have dogs that you prefer.. or when people breed mutts they "adding to the overpopulation problem"?

I love sock puppets. They are really great at contradicting them selves..

They don't want people to breed mutts because of the "overpopulation problems" but they love to own mutts.. they love to own dogs from "irresponsible breeders" that they have "rescued"but they want them to stop breeding those "sick, inbreed, genetically horrible " dogs.
meanwhile Dr. Coates and others claim those dogs are the healthiest.. those "mutts" and that breeders of pure bred dogs breed the "sick ones'
Don't get a pet at Christmas ( just to stay on topic) unless of course it comes from a shelter or rescue that is happy to deliver the animal right to your door
I am confused.. .. LOL
Merry Christmas

Do you even know what a sock puppet is? Apparently not. But I'm not going to go define it for you.

Your insults are pretty boring and detract from anything you attempt to say.

I like mutts. There will always BE mutts because there will always be accidental breedings. I don't want anyone PURPOSELY breeding mutts and I'd love to see all those accidental breedings go away, but I'm a realist and I know that's not going to happen. If it did, then I'd be THRILLED because there would be no more unwanted dogs. And I'd get a dog of the breeds I do like (mainly Border Collies and Aussies). But as it stands, stopping most accidental breedings and stopping purposeful breedings (of both purebreds and mixed breeds, plenty of those horrible "designer dog" crap breeders out there) by BYBs AND showing people how awesome shelter/rescue dogs are will help put an end to it.

Nowhere have I said I don't support breeders. I simply don't support breeders like YOU.

I like mutts. There will always BE mutts because there will always be accidental breedings. I don't want anyone PURPOSELY breeding mutts and I'd love to see all those accidental breedings go away, but I'm a realist and I know that's not going to happen. If it did, then I'd be THRILLED because there would be no more unwanted dogs.

>> you assume that all of the dogs that come form "accidental breeding's" become unwanted ". That is just not so.


And I'd get a dog of the breeds I do like (mainly Border Collies and Aussies). But as it stands, stopping most accidental breedings and stopping purposeful breedings (of both purebreds and mixed breeds, plenty of those horrible "designer dog" crap breeders out there) by BYBs AND showing people how awesome shelter/rescue dogs are will help put an end to it.

>> there you have tipped your hand.. at last..it took a while but you finally admitted that you would like to see all breeding stopped

Nowhere have I said I don't support breeders. I simply don't support breeders like YOU.

>> your statement above shows just how untruthful this statement is

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night

I did not tip any hand. Can you read? I said I would like to stop most accidental breedings (really I wish ALL would stop but nothing in life is 100%) and breeding by BYBs. That's not ALL breeding. That's simply MOST.

I support good breeds completely. I have friends who are good breeders and go to trials with people who have bought dogs from good breeders. Breeding should be left to the responsible people. Not just any schlub off the street who has two dogs of the same breed they can throw together.

I did not tip any hand. Can you read? I said I would like to stop most accidental breedings (really I wish ALL would stop but nothing in life is 100%) and breeding by BYBs. That's not ALL breeding. That's simply MOST.

>> if "most" breedings were stopped.. very few would have the opportunity to own a dog and the ownership of dogs would be only for the very wealthy. Is that what you want? Dogs to be "rare". It looks like you are saying "most' breedings include any "mutt" breeding at all as most pure bred breeders only bred their own breed and do not cross breed

I support good breeds completely.

>. no you do not. This is obvious from your posts. You "prefer mutts" you said so yourself. There is nothing wrong with that. Many people like mixed breeds and thankfully there are some for them to own as if only pure bred breeders had to supply puppies they would indeed be very expensive and very rare.

I have friends who are good breeders and go to trials with people who have bought dogs from good breeders. Breeding should be left to the responsible people. Not just any schlub off the street who has two dogs of the same breed they can throw together.

>> "schlubs"?? really?? your disdain for breeders of any type comes through loud and clear.. and for humanity in general. You would like "most" breeding of dogs to stop so that only a few select people could own dogs and those should all be pure bred according to you.
I can indeed read.. especially between the lines.. you are an avid animal rights supporter who thinks that they are the top of the "humane chain", someone who thinks other people are "schulbs" if they dare to breed a litter of puppies, someone who thinks they know better than anyone else what others should do. a sad human being ..
Merry Christmas.. Happy New Year.. may your year be filled with joy .. especially if you are a"schulb"

You are being purposely obtuse and are either stupid or incapable of reading or maybe you just want to play the "victim" here. Oh BOO HOO poor poor Alice. She doesn't understand why people don't want poorly bred dogs full of genetic issues to be bred. Or why they don't want to see dogs consistently bred every heat. Or dogs who are a year old bred. Oh such a VICTIM Alice, who tries to make money off her dogs. Gosh, I ought to feel so sorry for you.

I don't look at humanity with disdain (you accused someone else of that before; didn't fly there either). I don't view breeding with disdain. I view BAD breeding with disdain and I view people like YOU with disdain.

Enjoy your victim mentality Alice. It's tiring to read.

. "Dogs who were bought from breeders like you and then dumped at shelters when their owners could no longer handle them."
>> you can be sure none of those dogs are from me or any breeders "like me" ( your assumptions grow more laughable with each post).. but meanwhile another contradiction.
Why is a breeder responsible for a person being unable to handle their dog? Shouldn't that be the owners problem?
and that is another good topic for Dr Coates.. where does breeder responsibility end and OWNER responsibility begin..
If I sell a puppy with a vet check, shots and tested parents and that puppy gets sick s week or two later.. because the owner ( who does not tell you this) took the puppy against your advice.. to the DOG PARK..who is responsible?
If you sell a puppy on a show contract.. and the puppy looks fabulous at nine months and you have stud rights and that dog is killed by a car through the recklessness of the owner ( or his children) should the breed be compensated for the loss to their breeding program?
If the breeder has a contract that says you will feed XXXX food and the owner feeds YYYY food and the dog has a reaction will the owner be responsible and owe the breeder money? of course not.. once the pet is purchased it is YOURS and YOU are responsible for the pet.
If the dog you sell bites someone and you were planning to breed a litter under your contract and receive a puppy back with the owner and the dog is killed.. does the breeder get the money that would have come from that puppy? Who was responsible for the dog biting?? the owner?? the breeder?
Animal rights people are fond of saying "cradle to grave' when a breeder has puppies and sells them.the breeder must take the dog back no matter what the circumstances eh?. they also love to use the word "adopt". When my friend adopted her child and he became very ill she did not "blame the breeder' nor did she "return him" He is HERS and her responsibility alone. she cannot return him to the agency.. or drop him off at a "shelter" and certainly the agency did not say to her/.. oh if any thing happens to him please bring him back no matter how old he is..
people BUY dogs ,. or they are given them for free.. when they do this the dog becomes ( flame suit on) THEIR PROPERTY. This is a great thing.. property rights protect us in many situations including keeping our pets but with rights come responsibility.
Oh and Merry Christmas

GOOD breeders carefully vet anyone who wants a puppy from them. They know the good AND bad of their breed. And they don't sell to people who don't know what they're in for.

But GOOD breeders recognize that sometimes, crap happens. Seriousness illness, financial disasters, things that no one would have expected. So they agree to take the dogs back that they bred if something awful happens.

I guess what you're saying is exactly what I thought you were saying: Once you sell that puppy, you're done with it. That, my dear, makes you a CRAP breeder and the kind people are working to shut down.

Also, titles are NOT just in conformation. My dog is titled in agility, tricks, and has her CGC.

I do not think I ever claimed that titles were "just conformation" but thanks for the education

"How did you get so lucky to get a breedable dog that you call a 'shelter mutt"? and get titles on her as well?"

You seemed to act incredulous that I could get titles on my shelter mutt. Why was that, if you didn't think I meant conformation?

And my dog IS a shelter mutt. She was dumped out on the streets and brought to a high kill shelter. Where she would have put down, along with countless other dogs who had been bred and discarded. She lucked out. Others did not.

You seemed to act incredulous that I could get titles on my shelter mutt. Why was that, if you didn't think I meant conformation?

>> I am perfectly aware that many "titles" are given to dogs that do not involve their conformation but thanks for that and yes congratulations on your pets achievements

And my dog IS a shelter mutt. She was dumped out on the streets and brought to a high kill shelter. Where she would have put down, along with countless other dogs who had been bred and discarded. She lucked out. Others did not.

>. have you heard of "no kill" an achievable goal . "bred and discarded"/?? oh really.. of course dogs cannot not exist without being the product of a breeding.. but "bred and discarded" are you saying all of the other dogs in the shelter with yours had been bred before entering the shelter? Statistics would not agree with you .. as far as their stats go.. which is not very far..as most shelters do not keep good records.
Luck has nothing to do with saving shelter dogs.. hard work does. Nathan Winograd has a great new book.. Friendly Fire.Perfect for a stocking stuffer for any pet lover..

Thank you but I'm more than aware of the "No Kill" movement and I wholeheartedly support it.

However, shelter reform is only PART of the equation. The other part is ending puppy mills and bad breeding practices. It needs to be a combination of "selling" shelter pets (by "selling" I mean advertising how wonderful they are, etc.) and lowering the number of dogs that come into the shelter system in the first place through educating owners and stopping people from breeding their dogs willy-nilly.

what is wrong with making money selling pets? Dr Coats would not have much of a business if people did not buy pets. Many people make money breeding snakes, gerbils, hamsters, etc.. so why is that so "horrible. money is not evil. The idea that you make 'dirty money" breeding dogs because you are "cutting corners" or "breeding the bitches life out of them" is a huge misnomer.. The price of good and well bred dogs is ever escalating.. just like vet fees.. why.. well good breeders use vets.. vets charge more.. people have to charge more.. pet food and supplies have skyrocketed.. good breeders feed good food.. so that increase the price.. etc.. why should good breeders be denied the small amount of money ( or even large amounts if the are lucky) to produce a nice healthy litter of puppies.

You are for giving pets as gifts because you make money selling pets?
>>>what?/ i never said I was giving pets as gifts because I make money selling pets.. although I guess if IO made money I could afford to give some away as gifts.

Hmm. Well, if they are never listed in a newspaper or online
>> how about this.. i breed dogs for protection and police work.. I advertise in magazines that cater to those markets. I also have a website to showcase my dogs

or on Craigslist, if they are never brokered to pet stores,
>> I broker my police dogs through other channels on occasion
if they are tested and certified as per breed club standards,
>> I belong to no "clubs"and my dogs are cross breeds

and socialized with children

>. they are working dogs,.. bred for protection. They are "social" when they need to be.. and not "social" when they need to be

and if their parents are kept as loved, in-house companions in your home,

>> nope. my protection trained dogs are kept in kennels. They are working dogs.

maybe I could begin to listen to your opinion.

>> maybe you would have the opportunity to 'listen to my opinion" if one of my dog saved your life

I don;t do any of these things.. but many do thank goodness. just plug in service dog, hunting dog, search and rescue dogs in the "protection" slot

not every situation is the same.

I agree, No Pets as a Gifes, HAVE YOU NEVER BEEN HUG BY A TWO YEAR OLD, IT CAN HURT, THEY JUST WANT TO LOVE YOU, If you are a Pup or Kitten, Get my point...Little-One gets bite.....Mom or Dad beats
the Pup or Kitten..For God sake use your Head.

I think that's making an awful lot of assumptions. Sure that COULD happen. I think usually what happens is the pet ends up being given away on Craiglist or dumped at a shelter.

I think if we're going to come up with statements as to why giving a pet as a gift isn't a good one, jumping to the conclusion that it'll bite a child isn't really the way to go about it.

you mean you would, take that kind of chance, you must be very young. Now if the Parents, want to give a baby a Pet. It is own them, I have a Rescue.....I have seen a lot.....so I not going fuss at you....Merry Christmas

I didn't say that. I said that you're making assumptions about the type of people who might get a pet for Christmas. Or what their family is like. I know families with children who keep a close eye on interactions and are very careful about interactions between pets and kids. I know people who have gotten Christmas pets who are adults with no kids in the home or seniors who need the companionship.

The world is not black and white. Generally it's the "very young" who think it is.

And for the record, I am not "very young" (I'm 36) and I think it's insulting for you to make such a statement. I have a rescue dog too. And had the right time to adopt been around Christmas I would have been offended for someone to state that I was going to beat my pet! I mean you have GOT to be kidding me with that sort of statement.

I agree the surprise might be welcomed, but it can so often be a mismatch and then you're "giving" someone a big responsibility they don't necessarily want. It's not fair to recipient or to the pet.

But giving a gift certificate for a pet, or bringing the family to adopt a pet at Christmas time isn't always a bad idea. When people are on vacation from work and school they have time to get a new pet settled in to the house and figure out what they need in terms of pet-proofing, doing short stints in the crate, establishing a routine etc. I think that's better than leaving a new pet (and new pet doesn't necessarily mean puppy or kitten) home alone the day after they arrive.

a child being bitten could happen any time any wher.. and does.. just because everyone has lights on their homes and a tree.. does not mean they are not capable of getting a pet at this time.. this "no pets as gifts" is an animal rights ploy.. an old one.. that assumes all families are either drunk or out of control during the "holidays" and for some reason cannot care for a new pet at such a 'stressful time".. hogwash, many people get pets as Christmas gifts or any other time of year as gifts.. it does not mean the animal is doomed to death at a shelter or an ad on Craigs list.

I think it all depends, I just received a new kitten the other day as a Christmas Gift from my husband, he adopted him from the local Humane Society. I asked for the new kitten so I think in this instance it was ok to give as a gift.
If a child were to ask for a pet as a gift from anyone, it should be the parents who decides to give, not any other family member, UNLESS the parents have stated it would be ok. Just my opinion.

Bravo!
Well said. Every family is different, even Christmas morning can be a quiet, laid-back time in some households. In general, I agree with the idea of giving the certificate and/or collar, bed etc. under the tree, and the pet later. But every situation is different. The only REAL crime at this time of year IMO is the shelters who close down because they are so afraid someone will give one of the animals as a gift. Instead, they just keep killing animals to make more space. How sick is that? I say, at least give them a chance at a happy life.

I am in complete agreement with Dr. Coates that pets as "surprise gifts" are a terrible idea, but I'm glad to see the comments here about differing family dynamics, and different times being right for bringing home a pet (even as a *gasp* GIFT).

For me, I have a very light December schedule, so the Holiday season would be ideal for bringing a pet into the home -- especially if we're talking about a puppy or special-needs animal who needs a lot of extra time and attention to acclimate. And while my family loves Christmas, it's certainly not a stressful or overly busy affair.

A better rule of thumb would be for for people to individually assess their lives for the time that is best to bring a new pet into the home, rather than going by a calendar that may not apply to them.

Around June we have what we call in rescue, Dump Season. The holiday "presents" have grown up, still aren't housebroken (because everyone is too busy outside the home to stay home & teach them) and may just be a bother that has to be fed and screamed at for barking for love and attention while confined in the garage. When it's time to head to Disney World there's no way the fam is going to pay for boarding, so the humane society and rescues start getting calls. This is not theoretical, this is real life experience for me personally and for the whole rescue I work with. So, so sad. I've picked up too many feces encrusted, garage consigned, affection starved, bargain purchased Christmas present pekes, shih tzus and maltese just in time for the family to leave for Disney or the beach. Or even worse, they're given away to a guy at work or someone picks one up from a "free to good owner" ad and drops them off in grandma's backyard to languish in a matted, parasite infested hell till they die of heartworms.

you know I have read your comments.. and I have come to the conclusion that you do not like humans, that you "feel" that everyone is lower on the "humane chain" than yourself and that pets suffer and die in huge numbers because of the lack of "humaneness" that you have and others do not.
You see every glass as half empty.. instead of full to the brim.. pets in this country are, for the most part. loved and cared for which is why you see so many "premium foods" high quality pet care, more and better disease control and medical breakthroughs..why so many breeders breed carefully and DESERVE to make a profit
if you are truly an RN I hope you like your patients more than the people you write about here. as for our previous comments about being "FREE" ( our caps not mine) what alternative would you like better?

Merry Christmas.. here's to a New year filled with many more happy healthy dogs being bred and placed in good , loving homes.

Christmas is just around the corner and during this period the number of pets given as a gift increases. Unfortunately, after some time, enthusiasm for the newcomer drops and the consequences for him are often tragic. If you want to fight the trend of giving pets as a Christmas gift, you can do it with a little effort: just sign the petition here http://gotosign.co.uk/don-t-buy-and-don-t-give-pets-as-a-christmas-gift