As the holiday season is upon us, we are taking the time to be with our friends and family during this time of year. Not only that but finding the perfect gifts that those same friends and family members deserve is something we find ourselves taking part in. Unfortunately for some, their idea of a perfect gift is adopting a pet. This is an extremely bad idea, and I wish people would become more aware of that.

After the new year and the conclusion of the holiday season, all of the posts begin to roll in. The posts from people asking if anyone would be able to take the pet they no longer can take care of. Whether it be that pets are not allowed in their new place, their jobs keep them from being home enough with them, or as simple as the fact that their children will not take care of them like they said they would. The animal that started out as an exciting gift has turned into an animal with no home, all because nobody realized that a pet is a long-term commitment and not just something you can get and be done with.

I urge everyone this holiday season to think carefully before adopting a pet as a gift for a loved one. While they are great creatures and will surely excite the person who receives it, most pets given as gifts end up with no home and find themselves stuck in shelters. Getting a pet is a long-term commitment, it is not something you can keep for a few weeks and then give up like it is nothing.

Animals are living things who deserve to be taken care of and treated well. Unless you are able to make the commitment of taking care of a pet for the entirety of its life, please do not that person who gives a pet as a gift and gives it up once things get tough. Animals are not toys, so try giving that loved one something that does not require constant care and attention. Try to prevent the shelters from overflowing with these poor homeless pets this holiday season.