Adopt a Pet For Christmas
- Adelaide Pets Alive!
- Nov 19
- 3 min read
There are many organisations and people who state that pets should not be given as gifts over the Christmas period, even though this opinion is unfounded.
Denying potential adopters the right to obtain a dog or a cat as a gift impedes the overarching goal of life saving. Considering that we still see animal surrenders, shelters and rescues at capacity and the ever-increasing community cat and kitten population, denying an adoption seems outrageous!
A good adoption process is the responsibility of an organisation, not the public. Labelling the public as irresponsible and using this outdated slur to continue to block adoptions goes against the mission of a rehoming organisation. Our community are fabulous, and it is our community that supports us with adoptions, fostering, volunteering, social media, donations and partnerships.
In 1999, Mike Arms, the Director of the Helen Woodward Animal Center, created the “Home 4 The Holidays” campaign. He rallied 14 other San Diego animal shelters, and together they rehomed over 2,500 pets during the Christmas period. Since then, the “Home 4 The Holidays” adoption drives have rehomed over 16 million pets.
In 2000, a study interviewed people surrendering animals to shelters (at 12 shelters, over 4 regions, in one year).
- Dogs who came from an animal shelter, friend, or pet shop or who had been a stray were at increased risk of surrender compared with dogs who entered households as gifts.
- Cats were at increased risk of surrender if they came from a friend, pet shop, breeder, or animal shelter.
In 2013, a survey was conducted with 222 respondents who received a pet as a gift. In the last 10 years.
- There was no significant relationship between receiving a dog or cat as a gift, ( whether a surprise or not), and the receivers’ self-perceived love or attachment toward the pet. .
- There was no significant relationship between receiving a dog or cat as a gift and whether the pet was still living in the home at the time of the survey.
In 1996, a study showed that cats found as strays and cats acquired with minimal planning were at decreased risk of surrender. Cats given as gifts did not have a significantly different risk of surrender with cats that were purchased or adopted.
The ASPCA does recommend giving pets as gifts. The ASPCA's survey showed that 96% of the people who received pets as gifts thought it either increased or had no impact on their love or attachment to that pet. A majority of those pets were still in the home (86%).
Adelaide Pets Alive! supports giving animal's as gifts over the Christmas period because it is the perfect time to adopt a pet! Many families are home and can spend time with them, and help them with their transition and routines of the household. Whether it is free adoptions, low fee adoptions and pets given as gifts over the Christmas period – the adoption process remains the same. The process and follow up support are the responsibility of the rehoming organisation.
Brown, B. Seeking a pet this holiday? Try adoption. Humane Network. https://2917dbb3-64ed-41ad-a761-74ecc505ac66.filesusr.com/ugd/b03e13_665a10ef8e6744188691547e0af54385.pdf?index=true
New, J.C., Jr.; Salman, M.D.; King, M.; Scarlett, J.M.; Kass, P.H.; Hutchison, J.M. Characteristics of Shelter-Relinquished Animals and Their Owners Compared with Animals and Their Owners in U.S. Pet-Owning Households. J. Appl. Anim. Welf. Sci. 2000, 3, 179–201
Weiss E, Dolan ED, Garrison L, Hong J, Slater M. Should Dogs and Cats be Given as Gifts? Animals (Basel). 2013 Oct 16;3(4):995-1001. doi: 10.3390/ani3040995. PMID: 26479748; PMCID: PMC4494363.
Patronek, G.J.; Glickman, L.T.; Beck, A.M.; McCabe, G.P.; Ecker, C. Risk factors for Relinquishment of Cats to an Animal Shelter. J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc. 1996, 209, 582–588.
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, ASPCA. Position Statement on Pets as Gifts. 2025, https://www.aspca.org/about-us/aspca-policy-and-position-statements/position-statement-pets-gifts
Comments