Animals should not be given as Christmas presents, Animal Welfare warns

“Animals are not gifts,” the Office of the Commissioner of Animal Welfare noted in a Facebook post on Saturday. The post read that if one gives a pet as a gift, they could be giving a life away and the only justifiable way of gifting an animal is to oneself after doing all of the necessary preparations.

“If you’re a parent and have been thinking of adopting a pet to join your family, you might choose to symbolically give a pet as a gift to your children, but you should only do this if you (not your children) are ready for a 15-to-20 year commitment, can afford a pet’s upkeep and your family’s lifestyle allows for it.”

The Commission called for responsibility during this holiday period and said that an alternative to the latter is to sponsor a shelter or donate to an animal sanctuary to bring joy to animals who desperately require help during such difficult times for animals.

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