Pets for Christmas are a bad idea

Many Christmas presents are forgotten before New Year's Day rolls around, possibly moments after the final piece of gift wrap is torn away.
No harm is done if you toss out a stale fruitcake or return a ghastly sweater to a store in exchange for something you might consider wearing.
That isn't the case with pets.
Pets are not cell phones that can be discarded when a newer, flashier gadget comes along.  They can't be turned on and off at will, or left on a shelf until you get the whim to pick them up again. And, they don't come in one-size-fits-all.
Unlike a pair of slippers, a dog or a cat can remain a part of a person's life for up to 15 years.
Perhaps more than ever before, people should seriously consider if they or a loved one is positioned to make that kind of commitment.
This year, the last thing that overloaded animal shelters want to see is another orphaned animal.  By now, every animal lover is aware that the economy is forcing more people to give up their pets as jobs dry up and homes are foreclosed.
These are just a few reasons why it is almost always a bad idea to give a pet as a Christmas gift.
Some exceptions might be getting a pet for yourself, or getting a gift certificate from your local shelter for someone you know who really wants a puppy or a kitten.
After a puppy pops out of a basket and creates a Hallmark moment on Christmas morning, is the person on the receiving end ready to spend hours a day training it?  Are they going to forgive a puppy for gnawing through their best shoes?
For me, there is something else that is seriously wrong with choosing a pet for someone else.  It is them -- not you -- who needs to  bond with the pet and determine that it is the one for them.
That  is truly a gift that transcends every season.