Getting a Pet for Christmas

We're hopefully all familiar by now with the almost legendary piece of advice that "A dog is for life, not just for Christmas". Invented almost thirty years ago by Clarissa Baldwin of the Dogs Trust, it has become a perennial call for restraint when considering the purchase of a new pet during the festive season. The only change I would make to the original statement is to switch the word "pet" for "dog", since all animals (domestic or otherwise) should be treated with the same respect.

It would be wonderful if pets were no longer given as presents or, at the very least, the Christmas season were used only as a neat way to implement an already well-considered purchase in order to bring an extra smile to the face of a loved one. However, reality dictates otherwise for the moment, so I thought I would present some food for thought to people who want to bring an animal into their home at this time.

There used to be three primary concerns when purchasing (or otherwise obtaining) a new pet: time, space and money. This has now changed in the UK, due to the new Animal Welfare Act. Introduced as law in 2007 after many years of campaigning by charities and concerned animal lovers, the Act adds a fourth concern for prospective pet owners: their legal obligations to the animal.

When considering a new pet, the biggest problem is usually the time it takes to look after them. This is particularly true of high-maintenance pets such as dogs and cats, but also extends to the smaller choices such as rats, chinchillas, hamsters, birds and so on. It is very easy for a child to promise that they will look after a new pet, but adults (be they parents or not) should consider the actual practicalities more deeply. A dog, for example, will potentially take months to train. It will need regular walks, at least twice a day, in any weather. It will need play time, feeding, worming, taking to the vet for regular check-ups, socialisation with other dogs and a whole host of other activities, all of which take time. The dog will also need company: professionals generally recommend that no dog be left alone for more than four hours at a time - since they are intelligent animals, they will become bored, distressed and perhaps destructive. Cats need attention, they need to play, they need feeding and watering, vet visits, litter-changing and so on. Caged animals need regular cleaning, socialisation and interesting play. Owning a pet is like adding a child to your family (albeit one with fewer needs in many ways!) and should be considered in just that way: are you ready to be a pet-parent?

Secondly, space must be considered. There is no point in bringing home a large, active, working dog if you live in a small flat. Cats, equally, need sufficient space to express their nature, to sleep, to play and to find hiding places. Although you may have the time for long walks with your dog or easy access to a safe outside area for your cat, is the home itself tiny? The animal will be spending a great deal of time there and this is an essential consideration. Smaller animals, particularly caged pets, can be much easier to manage in this situation. However, you should still ensure their needs are met: hamsters need enough cage-space to run around in; rats, gerbils and chinchillas need a great deal of height in their cage; guinea pigs and rabbits need considerably more walk-space than the smaller rodents; some animals want to dig or burrow. All caged animals also need to come out of their cage for socialisation and to keep their little brains interested and active - particularly the more intelligent species, like rats.

Money is often the deciding factor in pet purchases, but many potential owners ignore the 'hidden' costs of pets. Buying an animal for a certain amount of money is not the end of the story: food must be provided, housing (such as a kennel, a comfy sleeping spot, a cage and so on), inoculations, repairs to chewed furniture... it all adds up. Pet insurance will not cover most of these costs and is only intended for one-off occasions where expensive surgery (for example) is needed. There's also the question of what to do with your pets when you go away on holiday - do you put them in kennels or have someone come by to feed, walk and play with them? Either way, it's an extra cost. Consider the whole picture, not just the initial purchase.

The fourth consideration is the Animal Welfare Act. Up until 2007, animals were protected only by a very old law that required cruelty to be proven before a person could be prosecuted. This meant that the animals were already suffering before anything could be done. With the new Act, pet and animal owners are obliged, by law, to provide for five basic needs: a proper diet, including fresh water; somewhere suitable to live; to be housed with or apart from other animals (as required); the ability to express normal behaviour; and protection from and treatment of, illness and injury (summary from the RSPCA web site). If these are not being provided, the owners can be prosecuted for not fulfilling their duty of care - a huge step forward in animal protection. Ensure that you can provide all these things before bringing home an animal.

Finally, I would like to suggest pet adoption. If you really are determined to get a new pet, please consider all those unwanted animals (many of whom were probably bought as presents) looked after by charities such as the Dogs Trust, Cats Protection League and RSPCA. Local charities may also have animals available - thousands of loving pets all over the UK are just waiting for a home. Adoption also has a number of benefits: the dogs are generally already trained, socialised and inoculated; the cats are neutered, socialised and also inoculated; the small animals are disease-free and socialised. By going through the adoption process, you can not only bring home a new family member, but you can also - as part of the process - be significantly more sure that the animal is suitable for your situation.