your pet’s
Good Health
Robin Brock, D.V.M.
THE GIFT THAT KEEPS
ON COSTING WRITER Robin Brock, D.V.M.
The holiday season is here. It is time to put on your thinking caps to come up with the perfect gifts for your loved ones. Often the idea comes up of giving pets for Christmas. Who wouldn’t want a loving and adorable puppy or kitten? All young animals are cute. Just remember that with this particular gift, you are giving a gift that will keep on costing. When you give someone a gift that is alive, you give the responsibilities of feeding, training, grooming, and veterinary care just to name a few. All of these responsibilities will last long after Christmas is over. Before even considering a pet as a gift, you should consider whether or not the intended recipient is capable of meeting all of these responsibilities. While the cost of pet food may seem inconsequential to many, to others it represents one more dollar that they simply don’t have to spend. If you are giving a pet to someone with a limited income, you may put an additional strain on their budget. If you really want this person to have a pet, then you may have to commit to providing pet food periodically. If this is not something you can realistically commit to, then perhaps a better gift would be periodic visits to this person with your own pet. If the cost of food is not a problem for the recipient of your pet gift, then consider the other costs. There are many initial costs that are not recurring like food, but can still require a substantial commitment of funds. These costs include the initial vaccination series, spay/neuter and training costs. Some of these costs can be included in the gift, especially if several folks get together on the gift (i.e. one person provides
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the pet while others provide gift certificates for veterinary services, training or grooming). Another way to combine some of the costs with the pet is to provide the gift recipient with a gift certificate to adopt a pet from a Humane organization. Many adoptions include at least one set of vaccinations and the animal’s spay/neuter. Be aware that some organizations will require that the potential adopter be approved prior to authorizing a gift certificate for them. Another advantage of a gift certificate for an adoption is that if the gift recipient decides that they really don’t want a pet, then they could choose not to adopt the pet and let the adoption fee simply become a donation for the organization. This is a much better situation than someone getting an animal and then having to take it to a shelter because they really don’t want it. Some costs of pet ownership are ones we don’t like to think about. For instance, the cost of replacing, cleaning or purchasing slip covers for the living room sofa when the pet chews, scratches or soils it, is one example. There is also the wood chewing, shoe chewing, furniture scratching, curtain climbing, etc. etc. Most of us who love pets can overlook these little things as most of these annoying habits can either be trained out of the pet or outgrown as the pet ages. The question is will your pet gift recipient be willing to overlook these little things? If you are giving a pet to someone who has never had a pet, my best advice to you would be “don’t”. My next best advice would be to urge you to include educational materials
Farmland Veterinary Clinic, P.A.
Call 336-492-7148 for an appointment
Farm, Home and Office Calls
(located at the intersection of Hwy. 64 and Hwy. 901)
3793 Hwy. 64 West in Mocksville
/ yadki nval l e ymagaz ine.com
www.farmlandvet.com
