Pets make a wonderful Christmas gift, but they're a long-term commitment

Dec. 8—Gifting a pet for Christmas may bring lots of immediate joy, but it should be done with the knowledge that a pet is a long-term commitment that comes with responsibilities and costs, according to local experts.

"When you are adopting a pet, regardless of the time — Christmas may be an accentuated time of adopting or purchasing — but you're making a commitment of 10 to 12 years of care for that animal," Decatur veterinarian Dr. Steve Osborne of Osborne Animal Clinic said. "It's something that's going to have some costs: It's going to be preventative health costs, it's going to be emergency health costs, it's going to be lifestyle health costs."

The commitment is major, Osborne said, but so are the benefits.

"The relationship, the bonding, the camaraderie, the fun, the joy of owning a pet far outweighs the cost of owning one and it's pretty inexpensive when you look at what you get from your pet," he said.

He noted that for many, especially those who live alone, a pet can "punctuate your day, punctuate your week, makes you get up to do things, keeps you moving, keeps you alive, keeps you going."

Alane Ward, Decatur Animal Services adoption representative, said adopting a dog or cat should not be done casually.

"It is the lifetime of an animal," Ward said. "It's almost like adopting another child. It is a member of the family. It's a 10- to 15-year commitment depending on the animal."

Ward said the shelter sees more adoptions around Christmas because a lot of people give pets as gifts and more kittens and puppies are adopted as Christmas gifts than adult cats and dogs.

People giving a pet as a gift should always first make sure the intended recipient wants it, she said, "because it's not necessarily the greatest gift if someone doesn't want the responsibility."

She tries to encourage people seeking to adopt a pet for someone else to check with them first.

"If it's someone who tells me they're getting a kitten for a high school boyfriend, things like that, we always try to make sure, have you made sure that this is what they want. Because we don't want those returned Christmas gifts either," Ward said.

Osborne said those considering adopting a dog or cat should be aware of what the animals will need. Some of the items include housing, cages, carriers, collars, harnesses, leashes, food and water bowls, bedding, clothing, litter and litter boxes.

"When it's all said and done you probably pay more money over the course of a year for food than you do just about anything else," Osborne said. "It's an ongoing expense that happens every day, happens every week, happens every month that you're buying food."

Pet owners should expect to spend a minimum of around $500 to $600 a year on maintaining their pet's health, Osborne said, which would include routine maintenance, flea and tick control and heartworm preventative for dogs.

"You also have to be prepared for accidents or illnesses that could spike to $500 or greater for a single incident," he said. "So, if those numbers are something that you can't do, maybe you ought to rethink having a pet."

Ward said when animals are adopted out, the shelter tries to have their age-appropriate vaccinations complete. She said all dogs and cats are current on their rabies vaccinations, have been dewormed, and are on flea preventative in addition to their other vaccinations. The cost at the shelter to adopt a cat is $95 and it costs $110 to adopt a dog.

Osborne said those who purchase a puppy from a breeder need to find out what vaccinations the puppy has already received. If unsure, he said, it is better to go ahead and vaccinate the puppy.

"It is always better to give more than less," Osborne said.

Whether you bought your dog from a breeder or adopted it from a shelter, Osborne said, the new owner should take the pet to a veterinarian within a few days.

"Have him examine the dog, look at what's been done, and he'll give you a list or a chart of things he recommends and the times to do that," he said.

Ward said to plan ahead when adopting a dog or cat from the shelter.

"The animal cannot leave here until it is spayed or neutered. So, they can't wait until Christmas Eve hoping to pick an animal and take it right home with them," she said. "It's not a last-minute thing; it is a process. There's an application that goes along with it. It has to be an approved application."

People should come in at least a week before they are ready to take the animal home, Ward said, to make sure they pick out the right pet and it can be spayed or neutered in time for Christmas. Ward said when people adopt through Decatur Animal Services, they receive a free PetSmart coupon book with $300 to $400 worth of coupons.

"It's a pretty significant coupon book," she said. "That is a plus for adopting, also."

—erica.smith@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2460.