LONGMONT — It may seem like a cute idea. A tiny kitty waiting under the tree on Christmas morning. That cherubic puppy looks irresistible with a red and green bow on its head. And an iguana is sure to elicit excited yelps from the 8-year-old budding zoo-keeper.
But experts warn against introducing new pets into a home during the hustle and bustle of the holidays.
Most homes have more activity during the holidays, and that can make it difficult for pets to acclimate to their surroundings.
“When that activity increases, that can also elevate the energy levels, and animals react very strongly to those energy levels, especially stress,” Longmont Humane Society spokeswoman Brianna Beauvait said. “They’re coming in with no idea what the rules and regulations are.”
Frustrations and anxieties also run high for owners during the season, and that can trickle down to pets. And when dogs and cats get stressed, accidents like biting and scratching increase, Beauvait said.
But that doesn’t mean people should refrain from adopting, she said. Rather, the shelter encourages people to wait until after the holidays to bring home their pets.
Beauvait suggests buying a gift basket of goodies for the new arrival to put under the Christmas tree. The shelter allows people to buy pets and house them at the humane society until after the holidays.
Rather than giving someone a reptile, Colorado Reptile Humane Society board member Margie Allison suggests the gift certificate option to allow the recipient pick out a pet. The organization gets more inquiries about gift pets this time of year but also discourages taking in new reptiles during the holidays, she said. Reptiles thrive on routine, and owners need to find the right pet for their schedules, she said.
“You don’t want to put a nocturnal animal in a room with a teenager who has the light on all night,” Allison said.
If a child desperately wants a reptile but parents know it wouldn’t be a good fit at home, she advises sponsoring a homeless reptile at the society.
Allison reminds people that reptiles, unlike dogs and cats, are wild animals forced to live in domesticity, and creating a liveable habitat for them can be difficult. A large number of reptiles die in their first year of captivity because they do not receive the proper care, she said.
Surprising someone with a pet, no matter what species, is never a good idea and can lead to those same animals being returned later.
The Longmont Humane Society requires all family members to meet with a dog before it’s adopted. For cats, a meeting must occur if the family has children younger than 12 years old. In all cases, families are encouraged to research breeds and browse the shelter’s website before choosing a pet, Beauvait said.
Reptiles have specific housing needs, including large tanks that can support the right temperature gradient, special UVB lighting and heaters. It costs no more than about $65 to adopt a reptile from the society, but supplies for its habitat can cost hundreds of dollars, Allison said.
And because reptiles aren’t cuddly and playful like mammals, younger children especially can lose interest in them quickly. The Colorado Reptile Humane Society requires new owners to be at least 18 years old or to have a responsible parent present, and adoption counselors work closely with families.
Beauvait hopes pet owners are getting the message.
Over the past three years, the number of dogs and cats relinquished to the Longmont Humane Society following the holidays has decreased. Between January and April 2008, 225 dogs were returned. This year, it was 143. Owners relinquished 300 cats during that same period in 2008, but only 129 this year.
“We like to think that the public is getting educated,” Beauvait said.