"The festive season is in full swing, and whilst it might seem like the paw-fect Christmas gift to treat a loved one to a pet," the PDSA warns that it's not a good idea. Here's why.

"Although Christmas is a time for giving, we don’t recommend that pets are given as surprise gifts. One of the most important parts of choosing a pet is making sure you choose the right pet for you, and just as importantly, ensuring you are right for them. By choosing for someone else, there is a risk that you might pick an unsuitable pet, for many reasons. Perhaps they can’t afford the lifetime of care needed, or maybe they don’t have time for a pet," PDSA Vet Nurse Gemma Renwick explained to Bored Panda.

"Even if you have the best intentions, alongside lots of research, it’s very difficult to know every detail of someone else’s life and responsibilities. Giving a pet as an unexpected gift might seem like a nice idea, but it could leave your loved one feeling stressed and overwhelmed. If you are considering gifting a pet, be sure to discuss this with whoever you plan on gifting beforehand. By involving them in the decision, you can make sure they are ready for the commitment and have time to get their home ready," she said.

"If you do choose to surprise someone with a pet, you need to be prepared for the possibility that the new owner may not be able to care for them. Consider what you would do if this happened and be prepared to take on responsibility for the pet yourself."

The PDSA said that although the festive period is filled with fun and excitement, this doesn't necessarily make it the right time to bring a new pet home. Here are a few main reasons why:

1. "It’s a very busy time of year: Most of us have time off work for the holidays, so it might seem like the ideal time to bring a new member into the family. But that time is often filled with shopping trips, visiting friends and family, parties, and noise—new pets need your time, a calm environment, and routine to help them settle in.
2. Christmas hazards: There are lots of extra hazards for pets at Christmas, including decorations, sparkling lights, festive foods, and poisonous plants.
3. Is it just the holiday talking? For many different reasons, the joy and happiness of the festive season often drives people to get new pets. But, if you are considering rehoming or buying a pet at any time of year, it’s important to remember that they are a lifelong commitment—a pet really is for life, not just for Christmas."

Bored Panda was curious about how all owners could make their pets' days a bit more festive this holiday season. "Our pets don’t understand Christmas as we do, so they won’t be expecting gifts or anything extra special over the holiday season." That being said, here are a few things you can do to be more festive, according to PDSA:

1. "Spend lots of quality time with your pet, doing the things they enjoy most. Many pets just prefer our company, attention, and affection over anything else. You can always take your dog out for some extended walks in their favorite spots, if their paws can handle an adventure, or simply slow down, letting them sniff to their heart’s content without rushing to get the walk done. Or play games at home with your pets, keeping their brains and bodies engaged.
2. If you want to buy your pet a gift, it’s a good idea to get them something enriching, such as an activity toy for any pet, or a new platform to climb on for a cat or small pet.
3. If you don’t want to spend lots this festive season, you can make gifts at home that won’t break the bank. Consider a homemade ‘tug toy’ for your dog, or crafting a cat scratcher for your feline friend. Small pets love a home-prepared forage surprise bag too. Don’t forget, you’ll need to supervise your furry friends when playing with their new homemade toys to make sure they keep safe and don’t tear off any pieces they could swallow.
4. Nothing screams Christmas like the smell of homemade pet biscuits. These also make the perfect gifts for all of your pet-owning friends – just remember to only feed your pets an appropriate amount for their size and ideal weight.

Meanwhile, for more tips and advice for the festive period, feel free to download PDSA's Christmas Survival Guide.

There is an epidemic of animals in need of new homes. While there have (arguably) been some improvements in the situation over the years, things are still dire. The ASPCA reports that in the United States, there are around 78 million owned dogs and 85.8 million cats.

6.3 million companion animals enter shelters every year. 3.1 million are dogs, while 3.2 million are cats. Over a decade ago, back in 2011, around 7.2 million animals entered shelters.

Around 4.1 million American shelter animals are adopted each year, nearly identically split between dogs and cats.

However, the sad reality is that many animals that do not get adopted end up being put to sleep. In the US, around 920,000 companion animals get euthanized every year, down from 2.6 million in 2011.

23% of dogs and 31% of cats were obtained from animal shelters and humane societies in the US. 20% of dog and 28% of cat owners learned about their pets through family and friends, while 34% of dog and 3% of cat owners did so through breeders.

Overall, around 40% of dog owners and 46% of cat owners learned about their pets through word of mouth, as per APPA.

Small shifts in social and cultural trends can have major positive impacts in the future. The Best Friends Animal Society claims that if 6% more Americans adopted pets rather than bought them from breeders or pet stores, no more dogs or cats would have to be put to sleep in shelters.

“Pets don’t belong in shelters, they belong at home. Our ‘Bring Love Home’ campaign is designed to bring awareness to dogs and cats still being [euthanized] in US shelters simply because they don’t have safe places to call home,” says Best Friends Animal Society CEO Julie Castle.

When it comes to altruism, you need to be able to take care of your life first before helping others. At least when it comes to the main basics like finances, housing, and your health. This holds true for pretty much everything, whether it’s helping out animals, volunteering at home or abroad, doing favors for your loved ones, etc.

You can help your local community more when you’re well-rested, (partly) financially stable, and energetic than when you can barely make ends meet and are exhausted. There won’t ever be a ‘perfect’ time for philanthropy, but you shouldn’t be sacrificing every last remaining resource of yours—your health, time, energy, and cash—if that means you’ll end up hurting yourself or those you’re trying to help.

In short, you want to be in a position where you can truly make a difference. For instance, adopting a pet is a big responsibility. If you’re in a precarious financial position, don’t have stable housing, have serious health issues, and are exhausted from work and barely ever home, then you won’t be doing anyone any favors by welcoming a dozen doggos or cattos into your life.

Yes, love, care, and affection are important! But you also need to be practical and rational. It would be heartrending to adopt pets that you’ll have to give back to the shelter because you can’t provide for them.

Be realistic about whether you’re in a position to truly provide an animal with what it needs to live a fulfilling life according to its nature.

Will you be able to buy your new pet the food and items it needs? Do you have enough money for any vet and emergency expenses that might come up? Is there enough room in your home for your pet to comfortably move, play, and sleep?

Does your lifestyle afford you enough time to take your dog for walks multiple times a day? Who is going to take care of your pet if you go on vacation or travel for work?

Do you have family or friends who could feed and walk your adorable pet while you’re away? Are there any (affordable) pet hotels in the local area? There are lots of questions to consider.

Nobody wants to reduce your enthusiasm for adopting pets, but you need to have concrete answers for all of these things to avoid serious issues down the line. Shelters that take their mission to help animals seriously are also keenly aware of the practical side of things. Shelter employees are likely to screen potential pet owners to ensure they’re up to the task!

Forever homes have to be safe, stable, and well-stocked. Meanwhile, the owners have to have the time, patience, and willingness to look after their new pets for the rest of their lives.

Sadly, some people realize far too late that their lifestyles don’t completely match up with being pet owners, meaning that they give the animals to shelters. It’s heartbreaking for everyone.

Which of these rescue animal photos affected you the most, dear Pandas? Have you ever adopted a pet? Do you volunteer at any local animal shelters? We’d love to hear all about it!

Share your experiences in the comments. In the meantime, feel free to share photos of your adopted pets in the comments section at the very bottom of this post!