'Make the Responsible Choice': Animal Advocates Warn of Dangers From Giving Animals As Gifts This Christmas

Looking at dogs, it's easy to get caught up in their cuteness.

“Because they’re cute, puppies are cute but guess what, puppies turn into dogs, and then ‘we don’t want a dog,’” said Jan Lavender with the Oklahoma Alliance for Animals.

Lavender says that puppy charm is not enough to gift an animal as a present.

“I think a lot of people go to the shelters and rescues for pets for Christmas; it’s just not a great idea,” she said.

Although people who give pets as gifts have the best of intentions, folks at the Oklahoma Alliance for Animals say it's not fair unless you’re 100% certain that person wants it and is willing to give it the proper care it needs.

Lavender says getting an animal requires a lifetime commitment to caring for them.

“Years, I mean 15 to 17 years depending on the size of the animal, so when you do your research and you’re considering getting a pet, know that that’s a family member,” she said.

Unwanted animals are often abandoned, passed from home to home, or brought back to a shelter. Lavender says there’s always an increase in dumped animals after the holiday.

“They’ll turn them out onto the street if they don’t want them. Not everybody does that, but a lot of people do; unfortunately, we see it on a regular basis,” she said.

That's why she says the OAA is committed to trying to match what works for a person or family.

“We really try to do our due diligence before we let somebody adopt a pet, so we don’t get it back… it’s not fair,” Lavender said.

And she believes it's important to think before giving.

“They are work, they are our responsibility…make the responsible choice,” she said.