The holiday season is here, and if you are planning on adopting a pet, you will have to start the process now. Adoption applications take a considerable amount of time to process. Individual applications must be thoroughly read, references checked and home visits arranged. Add the busy Christmas season to the transaction, and it can become cumbersome or take a prolonged amount of time to finish the transaction and ultimately approve your family as the adopters.
Within the rescue community, the pendulum swings both ways on Christmas adoptions. Some rescues and shelters do not allow adoptions at this time of year, while others will support holiday placements. Deciding to adopt a new pet is a large responsibly for you and your family, but you must ensure your decision is not an emotional one, especially at this time of year. Please remember, depending on the age of the pet you adopt, you can be making a five- to 15-year commitment to a homeless pet.
If you and your family decide to adopt a new pet, Christmas can be the ideal time. Adult children may be home from university, younger children are out of school and parents may take time off from work. If you are organized and your family is on-side with the idea of a new pet, then Christmas may be the perfect moment.
Bringing your new pet home for Christmas will take some organizing and time management. You may want to consider setting up a schedule for the new addition and not putting out many breakable ornaments or ones with ribbons. If you are sure and steady over the holidays, you could have your new addition all settled into their new home before the New Year celebration.
Bringing your new pet home after Christmas is also a great option to consider. If you are expecting an extraordinarily busy holiday season, waiting until the festivities are over is a better plan. You can still have fun over the holidays preparing for your new pet. You could wrap gifts for the pet, leave them under the tree and have the children open them on Christmas morning. You may want to have a stocking for the pet and encourage your children fill it with pet gifts they have personally selected.
Bringing a new pet into your home at any time of year takes time and effort. There are many pets sitting at local shelters and rescues waiting for loving forever homes. Please understand a shelter or rescues sole purpose is to find loving homes for homeless pets. They can help you and your family find one that will fit with your lifestyle and family schedule. Whether you are bringing a new pet home before the holidays or afterwards, please support local shelters or rescues by adopting a homeless pet. Many of these pets find themselves homeless because society has let them down. Each and every one of them deserves a second chance at finding a loving forever home.
Please be kind to animals.
Tracy Jessiman writes the weekly column Recycled Love and is proud to be a “voice for those with no choice.” Reach her at r[email protected]
