Christmas is the season of gifts. Clothes, accessories, toys… and sometimes also pets. But giving a pet for Christmas is a very important decision that is often taken lightly and ends up leading to a sad abandonment, the worst ending for an innocent little animal.
The ‘Feliway Study’ on the abandonment of pets by the veterinary pharmaceutical company CEVA establishes that 82% of Spaniards say they have never considered abandoning their pet. But the truth is that many owners end up doing it because Spain continues to be one of the countries in the European Union with the highest abandonment rate.
Among the most common reasons for parting with an animal are economic causes, unexpected offspring, dirt or lack of interest. To avoid so many dropouts, CEVA advises taking into account the following recommendations before giving a pet for Christmas.
Before giving a pet for Christmas
- Make sure that the future owner wants to have a pet and, above all, make sure that they are aware of the responsibilities that this entails.
- Know what type of animal best suits your personality, your lifestyle and even your home.
- Make sure you can afford the financial costs of proper pet care, including unexpected out-of-pocket expenses.
The arrival of the pet at home at Christmas
- If, after taking these aspects into account, we are sure that the future owner of the pet that we are going to give away will take 100% responsibility for the care of the animal, we can go ahead with the gift. Of course, for the arrival of the pet to the new home, especially at Christmas, it must be taken into account that the animal has a lot of stress and anxiety due to being separated from the place where it was, possibly with its mother and siblings. To this is added that it can be affected by the noise and guests of a house at Christmas.
- To provide the most comfortable environment possible for your pet, CEVA recommends finding a quiet place for them, placing Christmas decorations out of their reach (including the Poinsettia, which is toxic to cats) and not giving animals leftovers from Christmas meals.
