Why Pets Aren't Holiday Gifts
- Liz Adams
- Nov 1
- 4 min read
The holidays are full of love, excitement, and gift-giving but there’s one gift that should never come wrapped in a bow—a pet.
We know how tempting it can be. You picture the joy on someone’s face when they meet a new puppy or kitten for the first time. But pets aren’t holiday gifts, they’re lifelong commitments. Leading animal welfare groups emphasize that giving pets as surprise gifts is highly risky. Four Paws USA states plainly: “Do not give a dog, a cat or a guinea pig as a present, especially as a surprise … Discuss with the new owner first, if this is something they want and can commit to for the pet’s entire life.” The key word? Commitment.
Why is waiting is the kindest choice you can make this season?
Holidays are chaotic, not calm
Between travel, guests, and new routines, the holiday season is overwhelming for animals (and people!). Adopting a pet when your home is bustling makes it harder for them to adjust, learn routines, or feel safe. Even the American Humane – a national animal welfare organization – cautions that a house filled with “visitors coming and going and loud noises” can be scary for a pet that’s just transitioned into a new home.
When you consider a pet, they need time, not a whirlwind of holiday parties and travel. The first three hours, days, and weeks with a new pet are crucial. A quiet homecoming matters. If your calendar is already full of events, you may not be able to give the animal the safe start they need.
A pet is not a short-term surprise
When you give someone a pet, you are giving them something far greater than a toy—something that will need years of love, care, training, expense and attention. The ASPCA points out: “An animal is not a good surprise gift idea … whoever gives away an animal as a present gives away a life.”
Think about it: fresh snow melts, the twinkling lights come down, the vacations end—and that puppy or kitten is still demanding your time at 2 a.m. Are you and the whole household ready for that commitment? If you’re not absolutely sure, then the holiday is the worst time to start.
Surprise gifting pets increases risk for mismatches
Even when every attempt is made to do it well, gifting a pet to someone else can create a mismatch. The recipient may not have researched the pet’s temperament, size, exercise needs or medical concerns, the house might not be ready for it, and the rest of the family might not be on board. A piece from Friends of Strays puts it clearly:
“Don’t adopt a pet as a surprise holiday gift… Important considerations must be made to choose a pet who will be a good fit… Use the time to bring the person to the shelter or let them choose.”
Even if the best of intentions are involved, surprises bypass essential steps of fit, consent, and readiness for humans and animals.
Save the festive surprise for later—after the holidays
If you’re dreaming of adding a pet to the family, then the smart move is to wait until after the tree comes down. This allows time to research breeds/types, meet the pet in a calm setting, build a stable routine, and ensure the entire household is aligned. The ASPCA recommends giving the gift of a future adoption by presenting an IOU or certificate now, and then scheduling the pet’s homecoming when life is less hectic.
This way, your focus is on the right match, not the perfect decoration. Because what matters most isn’t the date you bring them home—it’s whether they’re coming into a prepared forever home.
What's the post-holiday shelter surge?
Come January, animal shelters across the country see an uptick in surrendered pets—the fallout of impulsive holiday decisions. For example, the Humane Society of Central Texas reported a 21% increase in pet returns from December 2023 to January 2024 (from 140 returns in December to 170 in January). In Concord, North Carolina, one shelter saw six animals returned in the week after Christmas. All of them had been given as gifts just days before. The people bringing them back often admitted, “It’s not what we bargained for, we adopted before we thought about it, our kids weren’t ready for it,” according to the shelter director.
Anecdotally, some regions face an even larger influx of these “holiday returns.” One shelter in Fargo, ND, takes in over 700 animals after the holidays each year, while an adoption group in Edinburg, TX, sees about 400 post-Christmas surrenders annually. And one Georgia shelter was begging for adopters by the first week of January due to an onslaught of returned dogs. Each of these numbers represents an animal that briefly had a home for the holidays, only to be left homeless again once the New Year began.
Why does this happen so often? In many cases, it comes down to lack of preparation and the timing. The holiday season can mask the true responsibilities of pet ownership and once normal life resumes, new owners realize they’re overwhelmed. As one pet expert put it, “While it’s common for people to welcome pets home during the holiday season, it’s also unfortunately not unusual for animals to be returned to shelters shortly after.” Chrissy Devlin, a veterinary technician with an SPCA, explains that frequently people weren’t prepared or didn’t realize how little time they had to care for a young pet. When reality sets in, these pets often find themselves back at the shelter, confused and heartbroken. It’s sad for pets because they find that feeling of love and security, and then it’s taken away from them,” Chrissy says of the animals who get returned. The post-holiday surge in shelter populations is a tough reminder that adopting a pet on a whim can have real
casualties.
Remember: Pets Aren't Gifts
At Pet Protect & Connect, we’re all about creating lasting matches between pets and people. The best adoptions don’t happen in a hurry. They happen when hearts and homes are ready. So this holiday season, skip the surprise and give the gift of time, love, and readiness. Because forever starts after the wrapping paper is gone.
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