Animal Welfare Professionals

 View Only

  • 1.  Pets as gifts - Horrible idea or missed opportunity?

    Posted 12-19-2024 11:29 AM

    I have always known it to be a horrible idea to give pets as gifts during the holidays. It always made sense for chickens, ducks, and bunnies around Easter because exotics can bring unrealized challenges. But it also made sense that dogs and cats around the holidays may be "unwanted" and surrendered again later. However, studies in this blog from the Association for Animal Welfare Advancement suggest otherwise! https://theaawa.org/lets-wrap-up-this-pets-as-gifts-stuff/

    Is giving pets as gifts being awful just a myth and is this an opportunity shelters and rescues are really missing out on?

    My questions for the community... feel free to answer just one or two if you'd like!

    1.  What's your shelter or rescue's stance on adopting pets as gifts? Have you considered revising your policies to reflect recent research?
    2.  If shelters put "holiday safeguards" in place, like pre-adoption counseling or ensuring the recipient truly is ready for a pet, would this ease anxiety?
    3.  Have you done gift adoptions and what has your experience been?
    4.  What messaging strategies can shelters use to dispel myths with their supporters while promoting responsible gift adoptions if they wanted to embrace this as an opportunity?
    5.  I especially liked the info about sentiment of receiving a pet from a loved one can build bonds between the pet and recipient! What do you think?

    Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!


    #AdoptionsandAdoptionPrograms

    ------------------------------
    Kelly Sheehan
    Communications & Development Manager
    Heaven Can Wait Animal Society
    NV
    ------------------------------


  • 2.  RE: Pets as gifts - Horrible idea or missed opportunity?

    Posted 12-20-2024 03:25 AM

    Good morning, friends   Our rescue does not allow someone to adopt a cat for another ever.  Our adoption contract binds the adopter, not the person who has been "gifted" one of our cats.  Most importantly our contract requires that our cats always come back to us if they can't be kept, at any time in the future.  We are not concerned with increased returns.  Just the opposite.  I have to say, that this post and this article both take a fairly smug perspective on those of us who do not allow gifting of our animals.  We are not quaintly backward, we've made a reasoned choice with the help of our attorney on what's right for our rescue.  



    ------------------------------
    Diane Metz
    Board of Directors, Volunteer, and Foster Mom
    Orange Street Cats, Inc.
    Albany NY
    ------------------------------



  • 3.  RE: Pets as gifts - Horrible idea or missed opportunity?

    Posted 12-20-2024 02:57 PM

    Hello, Diane! I appreciate the care your rescue puts into ensuring the best outcomes for your cats. Your point about the adoption contract and ensuring cats always come back to your care is such an important one I hadn't thought about.


    I want to apologize if the post or the article came across as smug in any way! I can absolutely see how it could come off that way, but that wasn't my intention. I had just always heard the argument on how negative gifting a pet is and was intrigued. I'm genuinely curious about different policies and perspectives from those with much more experience than me and didn't mean to suggest that any one approach is superior. I know there are so many variables! This is exactly why I love discussions that help us learn from each other's experiences and choices.

    Thank you for taking the time to give your input!



    ------------------------------
    Kelly Sheehan
    Communications & Development Manager
    Heaven Can Wait Animal Society
    NV
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Pets as gifts - Horrible idea or missed opportunity?

    Posted 12-27-2024 10:24 AM

    Hello,

    Our organization has evolved our thoughts and opinions on this. We have embraced Adopters Welcome. Often if an animal is given as a gift they are looked at as more valuable because it was gifted to them. I have been in animal welfare a long time and was always on the horrible idea boat, how can we assume/judge that an animal will be any less cared for then someone else who chooses to adopt on their own? That person will find an animal they can give as a gift and the chances of it being altered and vaccinated are much lower.

    If they do get returned, we have learned more about them, so it is just like it is going to foster. Focusing on finding an animal a home out of a shelter is our priority, no home is perfect, and no home will be exactly how I would treat my animals and that is ok. We have organizations that require animals to come back to them and they are still surrendered elsewhere. We try to encourage adopters to place an animal on their own and if they can't we will always be a resource. This allows us to help more animals in need.



    ------------------------------
    Wendy Arnold
    Animal Programs Manager
    Humane Society of Central Oregon
    OR
    ------------------------------



  • 5.  RE: Pets as gifts - Horrible idea or missed opportunity?

    Posted 02-20-2025 09:55 AM

    I once gave a pet as a gift but made sure the recipient was truly ready.



    ------------------------------
    Rick Schafer
    manager
    famula
    AR
    ------------------------------



Related Content