It's a white Christmas, and the fireplace is crackling _ whiffs of hickory mingle with the aroma of fresh coffee. While the kids try out their new toys, Mom and Dad cuddle on the couch. She gives him a wink, he slips out of the den.
"You missed one," he announces, setting a big box with a big bow amid the heaps of crumpled wrapping paper. Skidding over on their knees, the kids tear off the lid.
"Oh. My. God. It's a PUPPYYYYYY!"
What's wrong with this picture?
Despite what Hollywood portrays and corporate America wants us to believe, animals who are purchased as gifts don't always have a holly, jolly Christmas. Even the kindest people can be overwhelmed by the responsibility of caring for a new family member who soils the carpet, shreds the curtains, chews up slippers, sheds and whines.
The upshot? Once the excitement of Christmas morning fades, many of these animals end up in shelters.
All animals, especially puppies and kittens, need time and patience when adjusting to a new home. They need a calm environment and a consistent routine, but with a calendar jam-packed with cooking, shopping and parties, plus guests coming and going, families often don't have time to bond with an animal around the holidays. Animals are bound to make "mistakes" and can be unfairly punished for them, because they don't yet know the rules or because their needs aren't being met.
They need playtime and walks every day, even when the weather outside is frightful. They need to have their nails clipped, teeth cleaned, coats brushed and litterboxes scooped. They have to see the vet regularly and should be spayed or neutered. Most of all, they need someone who will love them their whole lives, for better or for worse _ but that doesn't always happen. For some, their happy new home doesn't last long.
Though being uprooted from their homes is frightening and unsettling, animals who are taken to shelters get a safe place to sleep, nutritious food, clean water, attention, veterinary care and another chance at finding the lifelong love and companionship they deserve.
Others aren't as fortunate.
After their novelty wears off and their would-be families tire of them, some animals are dumped on busy city streets or abandoned on lonely backroads. Instead of thriving, they struggle to survive as they face threats like starvation, diseases, predators, traffic and the elements. Few scrape by for long. Others are banished to backyards, where they're given a life sentence in a filthy pen or at the end of a heavy chain.
But their suffering began long before they were ever displayed in a pet store window.
Pet stores are notorious for buying the dogs they sell from puppy mills _ hellish mass-breeding factories in which animals are confined 24/7 to cramped, filthy cages and denied companionship, exercise and adequate veterinary care. This is why they're often sickly and difficult to socialize and why many end up in shelters. Kittens sold in pet stores are also bred in these cruel factories, as are many smaller animals, including hamsters, guinea pigs, gerbils and rabbits.
Buying animals from pet stores or breeders _ at any time of the year _ not only sanctions their exploitation but also denies a chance at a loving home to those waiting in crowded shelters, who often end up being euthanized.
Adding an animal companion to the family is an important decision and one that shouldn't be rushed. If all family members are ready to make this lifelong commitment, purchase a gift certificate from a shelter, but wait until after the holidays, when everything has settled down, before finding that perfect fit.
Saving an animal's life is a year-round gift that keeps on giving.
