A home for the holidays and forever

In his election night speech, President-elect Barack Obama reiterated his most important campaign promise. Before 125,000 supporters in Chicago’s Grant Park, he told daughters, Sasha and Malia, “You’ve earned the new puppy that’s coming with us to the White House.”

This winter, the first family isn’t the only family planning to adopt a new pet. Before holiday hype and high expectations shift into overdrive, now is a good time rationally consider whether your family is ready for a new pet. Adding a member to the family is a big decision. For too many pets, It’s a Wonderful Life turns into Nightmare on Elm Street within a few months. They end up dumped at shelters, in the woods and on the roadside.

In the next few weeks, Unleashed will explore what it takes to live happily ever after with puppies/dogs, kittens/cats, bunnies and rodents, birds, reptiles and maybe even pot-bellied pigs.

Before you adopt any animal, your family needs to honestly discuss your priorities, lifestyle, willingness to commit to an animal for its entire lifetime and species/breed preferences.

Even though your family animal lover may promise to shoulder the complete responsibility for a pet, the truth is it takes an entire family to care for a pet. For example, if a child is delayed by after-school activities or a spouse leaves for a business trip, someone has to feed or care for the pet. If a pet escapes its cage or yard, it’s all hands on deck. Even neighbors and friends will be pressed to join the hunt.

So, it’s important to weigh and respect each family member’s opinion in choosing the right pet. An apprehensive toddler will probably develop a bond with a young dog, cat, kitten or puppy as they grow together. However, teenager or 40-year-old with a fear of rodents, bugs, lizards and reptiles may never overcome terror and revulsion enough to handle a ball python or bearded lizard and provide it with live prey.

These questions will help decide if your family is ready to care for a new pet:

Who is the pet for?

Where will the pet live (indoors/out)?

Who will be the primary caretaker?

Who will feed the pet?

Who will train the pet?

Who will clean up after the pet?

Who will exercise the pet?

Is there an adult willing to happily assume that responsibility, if the person who promised to take excellent care of the pet fails?

Who will take care of the pet when the family is on vacation?

Can you afford not only a pet, but quality food, grooming supplies, parasite prevention and veterinary care?

Is this a good time to get a pet?

Are you home a lot?

If not, do you want a pet who can travel with you?

Is everyone up-to-date on tetanus shots?

These questions will help you choose the kind of pet who best fits your lifestyle:

Why do you want this pet?

What has attracted you to this kind of pet?

If you’re leaning toward a particular species or breed, has anyone researched the animal on the Internet or at the library or talked to an owner or breeder?

Has anyone researched the breed or species enough to make a list of pros and cons?

Does anyone in the family have a fear, dislike or traumatic memories of a particular species or breed?

Problems related to these issues frequently land animals in the pound or on the street. These questions will help you decide whether your family is committed to keeping a pet for a lifetime:

Does anyone in the family have a known allergy, injury or illness that might be aggravated by living with a particular species?

Does anyone have an aversion to feeding a particular species?

Are there any young children who can be easily injured by or accidentally injure an animal?

Is the family prepared to deal with the disruptions this animal might cause to the family?

What is the plan if the animal becomes a problem?

How will this animal interact with current pets?

What is the adjustment period you are willing to edure to integrate this animal into the house?

Are you prepared to keep this animal for its lifetime?

How will you introduce your current pets to the new one?

If that introduction does not go well, what will you do?

What will you do if you need to get rid of this pet for any reason?

If you think answering the questions is a lot of work, try owning a pet. Even a goldfish requires a specific amount of food and its water cleaned on a regular basis. Devoted pet owners expect to occasionally have to walk their dogs in a rainstorm, scrub cat hairballs off the carpet or arrive late to work after an extensive search for a wayward ferret; yet, they believe pet ownership is worth the inconvenience.

If your family’s stars aren’t aligned right now, the most responsible decision is not to get a pet. The worse thing you can do to yourself, your family and the pet is make an impulsive, ill-informed decision, which causes the animal to suffer and the family to feel resentment, remorse or guilt over pet ownership. However, if you choose to delay getting a pet of your own and your family still craves animal encounters, volunteer at your local rescue or shelter.

If you feel a pet is right for your family, start your research, stockpile provisions and devise a plan to successfully introduce your new member to the household. While the kids’ winter vacation provides a great opportunity to acclimate the new family member, Christmas day is not ideal. In fact, most savvy breeders will not allow a puppy to arrive at its new home between Dec. 23 and 26. They fear the puppy may be pushed aside in the gift frenzy and the combination of a new environment, family, holiday lights, sounds and festivities might traumatize the pup. Since Kwanzaa and Hanukkah last for more than a week, those holidays don’t pose the same issues.

No matter which holiday your family observes, experts—from psychologists to dog behaviorists—discourage the gift of a live animal in the midst celebration. Instead, they recommend placing a bowl, collar, book or gift certificate for a pet under the tree, beside the menorah or as zawadi. For animal lovers, there is no greater gift than the opportunity to choose their best friend for life.

Click here for this week’s Animal Bytes.

Click here for this week’s Creature Feature.

Click here for this week’s City Lynx.