Pets as a Christmas present not a good idea - urgent appeal from animal rights activists
Created: 05.12.2022, 16:00
By: Anne Hund
Whether it's a cat, dog or rabbit: it's not uncommon for a pet to be on the wish list for Christmas.
In many cases, however, the animal does not match the recipient.
“I would love to have a cat for Christmas” or “I would like Santa to give me a cute dog”: a pet as a Christmas present is probably on many wish lists.
But every year, according to animal rights activists, thousands of pets are given up or abandoned in animal shelters.
Among them there are always animals that were intended as a Christmas present - but then obviously met with a lack of interest from the recipients.
To the chagrin of the scorned animals.
Pets as Christmas gifts not a good idea - poor preparation
It is not for nothing that animal rights activists regularly warn against giving pets as gifts during the Advent season.
"The purchase of a pet should always be well thought out and never done on impulse," said an earlier statement from the animal welfare organization "Four Paws".
Especially the time around the holidays is not a good time to let an animal move in.
“These days are often additionally stressful.
The daily routines over the holidays are often different than usual.”
Animal rights activists advise against giving a pet as a Christmas present.
(Icon image) © Cavan Images/Imago
It is not without reason that many animal shelters would temporarily stop animal placement shortly before the festival - "to prevent animals from ending up under the Christmas tree as gifts and then being brought back shortly afterwards," according to the animal welfare organization.
“Purchasing pets via an online platform, the main sales channel for animals from the illegal puppy trade, is even more problematic,” the organization warned last year.
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Don't give away pets at Christmas - animals often don't fit into everyday life
Before you get a pet, you should first think carefully about whether the animal suits the family and the current life situation at all.
Do you really have enough time to take good care of the animal?
And what if the kids later lose interest in wanting a pet?
"It's like a dating agency, two characters have to fit together, the life of the master or mistress has to fit the life of the animal - and vice versa," says Beate Kaminski from the Berlin animal shelter, according to a report by the
Utopia.de portal.
According to the report, Judith Brettmeister from the animal shelter in Munich describes another problem that perhaps not all donors are aware of: At Christmas, small animals, such as rabbits, would like to be given away.
"Rabbits in particular are completely unsuitable for children because they are prey animals and don't like to be cuddled or petted."
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Do not give away pets at Christmas – calculate the costs beforehand
The question of how to finance the running costs for a pet should also be clarified beforehand.
According to the German Animal Welfare Association, the annual costs for a cat amount to "a total of around 700 euros" if you include food, vaccinations, repeated deworming, parasite treatment and cat litter.
In addition, as can be read on the homepage, there are the "basic costs" for bowl, basket, scratching post, litter box, toys, possibly balcony net or cat door, which would add up to "approx. 150 - 500 euros in total".
Not to be forgotten are the increased costs for the veterinarian.
A general examination of cats alone now costs 23.62 euros.