Would you give a pet as a gift

The recent thread regarding the heroic dogs saving the day during the recent breakin got me thinking.

My parents are retired and they have had a couple of breakins, the last one whilst they were in the house.

I keep telling them this wouldn't happen if they has a small dog to raise the alarm.

I really think I should take matters into my own hands and get them a dog when I am back there in December. (A small or medium one, around a year old, from a local shelter).

What do you think???

I think this qualifies as an exception to the rule of "Never give a pet as a gift"

I would never get a pet as a gift for anyone, even someone who really wanted one.

What I would do is surprise them and drive them to the shelter and pay for the animal of their choice.

I'm a firm believer that someone should choose their own pet so that there is less chance the animal will end up returned in the shelter again, sad and confused.

You should give them a gift certificate or something allowing them to pick out a dog of their choice. That way if they don't even want one no animals are upset.

I would only get one if it was what they really wanted and they sort of had one picked out. But I wouldn't just go to any place and buy any dog and drop it off at their house. Mickey was sort of a Christmas gift from my parents since we got him December 14, but it wasn't like they bought ANY dog for us.

I did that once when I was younger. I was such an idiot, my "friend" wanted a cat really bad and she lied and told us her grandparents (she lived with them) didn't mind so we went out and got her one for Christmas. Her grandmother threw a fit and they had to give the cat up to her friend. (I guess it turned out okay, considering he could have gone to the shelter but it was a stupid idea) Young stupid minds :p

I think smokey the elder has a good idea, although I've never heard of that. it sounds good.

A pet! As a gift! O man, it's not like once in 5th grade someone gave me two female mice and then for christmas my sister gave me a male mouse and then they multiplied into 25 mice! Are your trying to corner me or something ::wipes sweat:: It wasn't me! I swear ;) O and then it's not like in 6th grade my friend was giving away her hamster and I told her my parents didn't care as long as it was a birthday gift and so she brought it over and my parents flipped and grounded me for a week :p nothing like that ;)



No, but now that I'm older and wiser ( ;) ) I like Smokey the elder's idea! It's perfect!


Ash

Yes, I would give a pet as a gift. But NOT as a surprise.

For instance, my brother was totally wanting a Westie. He loved them and was searching everywhere. His birthday was coming up, so I told him I was taking him birthday shopping. I took him to a reputable breeder and let him pick a Westie out. It was a gift, but he knew it was coming. It is unbelievable how many animals wind up at the shelter after Xmas, or how many rabbits wind up there after Easter.

Yes, but only after talking to the person and making sure that this is what they want and that they have done their research and are ready. If I feel they aren't ready, then I won't give a pet to them. And it's never good to give a pet to someone who doesn't even know about it.

Lady and the Tramp keeps popping into my mind. :p

It just depends I guess.

Last Christmas I was wanting a cat, I did all the research for the care and ect. After I tolded my mom how much I wanted a cat, her and my dad got me one. And they got me the perfect kitten! Maggie! But you have to be careful getting a pet for someone because their personalities might not match. But I like idea of getting a certificate so you can let them find one they like.
Good Luck

Quote:

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Originally posted by Amber

Last Christmas I was wanting a cat, I did all the research for the care and ect. After I tolded my mom how much I wanted a cat, her and my dad got me one. And they got me the perfect kitten! Maggie! But you have to be careful getting a pet for someone because their personalities might not match. But I like idea of getting a certificate so you can let them find one they like.

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I think it's okay for someone to give their child a pet. :) In that case, the parents should be equally or more responsible for the pet.

I agree

You generally can't get gift certificates from shelters. The reason being is the owner of the dog/cat needs to fill out an application before they are allowed to adopt an animal (at most shelters anyway). If they have a gift certificate, they have it in their mind that they are already approved for adopting an animal. Sometimes the person who is getting them the gift wants to fill out the application for them, but that is NOT cool. Our shelter will not allow anything like that. We want to know from the guardian themselves exactly how their living situation is and how they will care for the animal.

When people complain to me because we won't give gift certificates, I tell them to buy some dog/cat supplies and buy a stuffed dog or cat and wrap it all in a box. After they open it, tell them you'll take them to the shelter.

A pet is a lifelong committment.

For the most part no, but I have sold several rats to adults who aquire the animal for their children as a present and let me tell you these animals are just spoiled rotten. I used to never sell to children but I have since changed my mine, especially after a recent adoption. Of course, my adoption agreement also says that if the person is ever unable to keep the animal it comes back to me and is never to be taken to a shelter. My last family just adore their new fur-children. These parents know beforehand the responsibility of owning this type of pet and that they must care for the animal if their child should lose interest. Most of the time though with rats that is no problem at all, never ever had a problem with that because the parents always steal the rat away lol. My last lady adopted three ratties from me and I tell you, they are her children and family and the kids are just so in love with them.

Edit- To make myself clearer in the above comment about never selling to children and have sinced changed my mind, I meant that before I would never sell to an adult for their children, but now I know that these families can really adore their furchildren and if they take the resposibility to read up and study them than I have no problem with it, as long as the parents know what they are getting into. In my adoption info page all children MUST have their parents talk to me first etc. but I have never had a child contact me, it has always been the parents......and it always seems that they want the animal more than the children do. :p


There is one person I would buy a pet for, and that is my mother as I know her devotion to birds and I know how badly she has wanted a male to use for breeding for her female tiel. We used to breed and out tiels were her passion. My mom would never in a million years get rid of any of her birds, she loves them more than us! :p So since I am taking in three baby tiels to hand raise I know they will be sweet, healthy social birds, and I will be surprising my mom with a male pied cockatiel for Christmas when I go to visit, and especially if she has cancer this will take her mind of of other things. I mean her birds are in her will and all, she's just a sucker for anything feathery. She just adores them, and I know this baby will be going to a great home, and I won't be supporting the petstores by giving it to her. I can't wait until she sees the baby pics and gets to watch her future birdy grow up.

You can visit my Refrences page to see the family enjoying their new ratties. :)

http://www15.brinkster.com/luckies4me/Refrences.html

Only if I really knew the person, to make sure they could really take care of it.
So no, not generally. :)

I agree with most of you, I would only get a gift certificate from a shelter, and only if I knew the person wanted a pet, and would take good care of it.

Just off the topic a bit, but it always amazes me how people buy kittens from the pet shop, as they pay around 58 dollars, de-wormed, flea free, and some food, and they still have to spay and neuter, and yet the cats league, have them for 35 dollars, all of the above and spayed and neutered.:)

Growing up I gave my best friend a lamb for her birthday once, a pig to my cousin, and a german shepherd to a room mate. Now having said that. My friends all have pets, half of which Tom and I found so they are full allready:) I like to buy my friends things that they wouldn't normally get for themselves for their birthdays, pets are NOT one of those things.
Katz

Never, unless I was prepared to take over the animal's care if the gift recipient didn't want it (I got Jasmine as a surprise for Shane, knowing full well that we'd both be caring for her).

Like Aly said, maybe you can take your parents to the shelter and see if they bond with any of the dogs and want to take on that commitment. I'm sure their lives will be enriched beyond belief with a furry friend in the house, but they need to be the ones to take the step in that direction. :)

I think you have all given good advice. I'll probably just tell my Mum & Dad we are going shopping,and drive them to the shelter instead!!!

They have had dogs before - Rags, a mixed bread X Jack Russell, who lived for 16 years (he was my childhood companion), and Fiona, a Rhodesian Ridgeback, who my Dad took to obediance lessons etc. The only times I have ever seen my Dad cry were the day his only child (ME) got married, and the days those two dogs went to the RB.

They have always said they intend to get another dog, but haven't quite gotten round to it. So I guess I will give them a "gentle push" in the right direction;)

Yes, but only in ONE case: NEVER as a surprise gift! The person reveiving it, must be fully aware of what he is accepting and fully ready to do anything for it!

I'm not sure a would, As I think people should adopt and 'buy' their own pets.

It's not like you'd go and adopt a baby for someone, which I think is just as big as adopting an animal into your home.

Quote:

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Originally posted by aly
I would never get a pet as a gift for anyone, even someone who really wanted one.

What I would do is surprise them and drive them to the shelter and pay for the animal of their choice.

I'm a firm believer that someone should choose their own pet so that there is less chance the animal will end up returned in the shelter again, sad and confused.

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Couldn't have said it better myself:)

I wouldn't do it. I think a person should be able to choose a pet themselves - one that "speaks" to them personally. That said, my Trevor came to me in a strange way. He was bought by my son's friend "as a gift" for his grandmom whose cat had just died. She didn't want him (imagine that!) because she said she was not ready to have another cat at that time. My son, who was with his friend at the time, decided that rather than return Trevor to the pet shop, he'd bring him home to me (at that time I was a strict 'dog only' person! :) ) It was the best thing he could have done, for me as well as Trevor, but I think this was probably an exception. :)