Home for the Holidays: Giving Pets as Holiday Gifts

Oh, there’s no place like home for the holidays. From Perry Como to The Carpenters, this beloved holiday tune has beguiled households from The Greatest Generation to Gen Z. Why does this song so eloquently capture the feelings and emotions of the Christmas spirit? Whether it be memories one has from family gatherings, to the smells and bells of past and present holiday traditions, there is something universal about the word “home.” It is often understood that the word home does not refer only to the physical place in which we live, but also the people within that fill it with love, laughter, and joy. This is no less true for our furry friends who often come home for the first time over the Christmas season.

Bringing home a new dog or cat over the holidays is an exciting event for young and old! I recall when I was in second grade, we brought home our newest member of the family—a baby Shih Poo mix. For ages I had begged my parents for a puppy, and on that special day nearly two decades ago, my Christmas wish came true. She was with us for over 14 years. At the Tulsa SPCA, we see a substantial influx of adoptions and fosters over the holidays. One of the best parts of working in animal welfare is seeing the looks of sheer joy on the faces of adopters when they find the perfect addition to their families! With this in mind, we would like to take a moment to remind our readers of a few things to keep in mind when adopting over the holidays:

First and foremost, it is important to dispel the myth that one cannot give pets as gifts for the holidays. While this is a common refrain from many organizations, this actually, “impedes the overarching goal of increasing the rate of live-releases of dogs and cats from our nations’ shelter system” (Weiss et. al.)
Dogs and cats that are adopted around the holidays are NOT more likely to be returned shortly thereafter. Dr. Jessica Pierce of Psychology Today states that studies have shown that there is, “no significant relationship between receiving an animal as a gift and level of attachment to the animal. In fact, sometimes people feel an even greater attachment to an animal received as a gift precisely because the animal was given to them by a loved one” (Pierce).
If you plan to adopt a furry friend for the holidays, it can be helpful to also purchase items that will help ensure an easy transition, such as food and water bowls, toys, dog/cat beds, etc.. This will help the recipient with the transition involved in caring for a new pet.
Be sure to use good judgment and consideration when gifting a pet. Dr. Pierce from Psychology Today frames the questions in the following way:
1. Does the recipient have a serious interest in owning a pet?
2. Do they have the knowledge and resources to take care of the animal properly?
3. Are the species and breed appropriate for the recipient?
If a long term commitment is not certain, temporarily fostering a dog or cat is always an option. This would avoid the long-term commitment, while still providing joy to both animal and human alike!
Contact the Tulsa SPCA or any local shelter and ask for some expert advice! We would love to have this conversation with you to maximize the probability of a good outcome all around.

I hope this has been food for thought as the holidays approach us! If you are interested in adopting or fostering, fill out an application on our website! If you have any further questions, feel free to give us a call at 918.428.7722 or email adoptions@tulsaspca.org for adoption information and foster@tulsaspca.org for foster information.