Many of these will stay with that family for years to come, but some aren’t so fortunate. Those less fortunate may find themselves returned to where they came from or re-homed due to being too much work, growing larger than desired, or the children becoming bored with the animal.
Many of these unwanted pets find their way to the same shelter that Nugget and Juniper are from, the Humane Society of Greater Dayton. Even more will find themselves dumped and abandoned on the streets, left to fend for themselves and at risk of being hit on the roads.
In the shelters, while safer, life still is not easy or perfect. Being in that environment can lead to animals becoming stressed or depressed, lessening their chances of getting adopted. Young puppies and small dogs will find new homes fairly quickly, but older dogs and big dogs often stay in the shelters longer.
These dogs also sometimes come with behavior issues that are easily fixable if people would have just put in the time to teach their pets what is and is not acceptable. This is a very sad, yet common, fate for animals gifted as Christmas surprises.
However, there is something we can do to lessen the possibility of this unfortunate outcome. As the holiday season approaches, it would be beneficial to encourage people to adopt responsibly, making sure the animal is acquired ethically and that the families have the resources and are willing to commit to being a forever home for these animals.
No puppy is born knowing that toileting in certain places is wrong, just like they aren’t born knowing they can’t bite people or chew up your favorite pair of slippers. It is our responsibility as pet owners to teach them and have patience as they learn. It is also our responsibility to do our research beforehand, breed can tell us what size the animal will likely grow to and what exercise requirements it will likely need.
Getting a cute breed is wonderful, but getting a cute breed that is compatible with your lifestyle and personality is even better. All puppies are cute balls of fur that eventually grow into full grown dogs, but a Great Dane puppy won’t stay small forever.
We must expect these changes and not only be prepared for them, but also accept them to ensure a long-lasting companionship with our beloved pets.
Morgan Bennett is a student at the University of Dayton and the owner of a wonderful, adopted dog named Jasper.
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