Pets make great gifts and I’m glad to see many shelters are finally coming around to that view, even if some only embrace the concept once a year. Christmas deliveries of adopted shelter pets to their new families has grown in popularity and along with it, some long overdue myth-busting.
Staff from the New Hampshire Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals dressed up as elves and delivered six kittens to adopters on Christmas Day:
“Studies show that animals given as gifts are much less likely to be surrendered or given up because of the emotional attachment they give to the owner,” [director Jen] Corbin said.
Dressed as Santa and his helpers, staff from St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center in Madison, New Jersey delivered adopted pets in wrapped boxes to adopters on Christmas:
The holidays can be a great time to adopt, [CEO Heather] Camissa says, because families are often at home and have time to spend with the pets and to acclimate them to their new home.
Also delivering pets to their new homes on Christmas morning were the Fairfax Co shelter in VA, volunteers from the Nevada Humane Society in Reno, the Charleston Animal Society in SC, and the Franklin Co shelter and the Greater Androscoggin Humane Society in Maine. And an adorable 9 year old girl in New Jersey got a pair of pitbull puppies delivered to her home on Christmas morning, courtesy of the Cumberland Co SPCA. The pictures will cure what ails ya.
Did your local shelter deliver pets on Christmas?
Thanks for sharing some wonderful Christmas stories – and for reminding us that there are good people out there who really care for their animals and the people who love them.
It doesn’t seem as if any of the shelters in my area did this, unfortunately, but I was glad to see that Becky Robinson wrote a whole blog post at HuffPost about how the scare stories are all wrong and people should go and enthusiastically adopt a shelter cat or kitten to give as a gift on Christmas:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/becky-robinson/last-minute-holiday-shopp_b_6356854.html
Sadly, she was attacked in the comments by people who were shocked, SHOCKED that she would advocate giving a pet as a gift. But the fact that she did it at all is maybe evidence that the tide is turning.
Brother Wolf in Asheville, NC delivered Christmas morning also.
Fairfax County and Wash Humane have really stepped up their adoptions … I am proud to be part of the community!
Is it a complete surprise or are the ppl acquainted and checked before the event?
Can the shelters be sure its a good home in other words? IOf the answer is yes then that is great!
All of the articles I read explained that the adoption was set up ahead of time and planned anyway… the delivery was just an extra bonus fun way to finish the adoptions.
Why is ok to give shelter pets as gifts but bad to give pets from breeders as gifts?
Susan – I’m unclear as to what you are responding to exactly. Was there something in the post or in the comments that prompted your response? I support responsible breeders – always have and always will.