Millions of Children this holiday are asking this very question! During the holiday season, tons and tons of parents contemplate the decision of when is the right time to bring an animal into the family.
A very simple answer is, "when your ready."
Although coming to that conclusion raises many questions of its own. Is my child old enough to take on the responsibility? Do we have enough time to care for the animal properly? Am I ready to make a commitment for the life of the animal, which could mean any where from 10 - 20 years, depending on the breed and type of animal your decide to adopt. Some other tough questions include, do I adopt from a shelter, a pet store or a breeder. What are the benefits and challenges to adopting from these facilities.
Animals and Children
Animal Welfare agencies suggest that parents should not expect children to take full responsibility for caring for the animal no matter how old they are. The ASPCA of New York City has a great guide and interaction advice on pets and children (http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=edu_resources_kidsandpets).
In general, children are capable of helping with tasks such as feeding and walking, etc. with close adult supervision at all times.
Selecting an Animal That's Right for My Family
When it comes to selecting an appropriate companion, take into consideration that although puppies and kittens are extremely cute, they are extremely vulnerable around young children because kids tend to handle animals a little too roughly and this may result in injury to the child or the animal. Your best bet is to consider your home and children carefully and then contact a reputable organization such as a shelter or breeder and ask them to steer you towards an animal that will be a good fit for your home. These professionals should be willing to spend time in order to make a good match for you and the animal, if not, best to select another adoption facility that is willing to take as much time as necessary to perfect the adoption.
Selecting a Facility, Shelter (Rescue Group), Pet Store or Breeder
I don't hide the fact that my first choice is always to go to an animal shelter that has a good reputation and properly cares for the animals that come into their facilities. Many shelters have purebreds and using petfinder.com makes it easy to locate just about any type of animal --purebred or mutt.
Some things to look for in a good shelter: do they have a successful adoption program, i.e. do they employ temperament testing on their animals and does the facility look clean and are the animals well cared for. To find a good shelter, you can search on petfinder.com or ask your vet. The great thing about adopting companion animals from a shelter is that you're saving a life and there's nothing better than that to get that warm and fuzzy feeling. You're also helping to make room for other homeless animals, and giving them a chance at happy home in the future.
Breeders
If you feel that you must get your companion animal from a breeder, be sure that they have a good reputation. You should ask for references from past adopters, and be sure to meet the animals parents (Mom and Dad) and assess their temperament carefully. If you don't like the personality of the animals' parents, often times that is a good indication that animals from this litter may not be a good fit for you. You'll also want to check at least three generations worth of blood lines to make sure you are getting the quality being advertised. Finally, any reputable breeder should be willing to take back the animal under any circumstances, should you realize that its not a good fit. If they don't have a return policy, find another breeder!
Pet Shops
Please refrain from adopting your animal from a pet shop. Most of the time these animals come from Puppy Mills and horrible conditions. More often than not, these animals are not socialized and it takes a lot of work and professional training before they are confident in their new families. If you still feel that you have to save an animal from a pet shop, ask for references, try to find out about where the animal came from, their health history and what their return policy is. Still not convinced about the connection of Petshops and Puppy Mills, than check out this website and I'm sure it will change your mind http://www.njcapsa.org/
Just in time for Christmas
Although its wonderful to see a child's face when Santa delivers that new pet on Christmas morning, please be mindful that this is a very chaotic time to bring a new animal home. There are dangers associated with Christmas trees and choking incidents with gift wrap. More often then not, many families have visitors or go out visiting much of the time. All this can lead to stress for both the animal and the owners, which isn't good for anyone.
If you do decide to adopt during the holiday, do so with thoughtful consideration. Then sit back and enjoy your new companion. There's nothing like bringing home a new addition to cap off the holiday season..
Best wishes for Health, Happiness and Prosperity in the New Year!
Rose Tropeano-Digilio
