As Christmas is just behind us and masses of wrapping paper are headed towards the recycling plants, we can sit back and enjoy the gifts that we received. Half of the chocolate Santas that I got are gone, destroyed, with the rest awaiting their fate to be dunked into some hot coffee and monched on head first.

But as the rest of my sweets dissipate, there are those gifts that will last decades or a full lifetime. Getting a pet for the holiday season may be a dream come true for a lot of kids and adults alike. Truly, is there anything better than your new best friend entering your life at a time of festive joy, fairy lights, and silly music? Whelp, there’s definitely things to consider beforehand.

Murad Kirdar, the Public Relations Officer at Santa Fe Animal Shelter & Humane Society, believes that adopting a living creature should be a decision that is never taken lightly. “It would help if you always thought twice, three times and maybe four times before adopting any animal,” he told Bored Panda. “Dogs and cats can live up to 17 to 20 years. Caring for another living creature is a lifelong commitment, not an impulse decision.”

When it comes to pets being gifted for Christmas, Murad believes that this is one gift that should not be on the wishlist. “I am a firm believer that a pet should never be a gift,” he said. “The pet parent should be able to choose the personality of the pet they are best matched with. For example, you wouldn’t want a toy poodle if you are a hiker.” 

Though, if the person has been dreaming of a pet, it may be a good idea to get a little bit more creative without actually choosing the pet for them. “Instead of ‘gifting’ an animal, I suggest wrapping up some dog toys or cat bowls, then bringing that person to a shelter or rescue and letting them pick out the animal they choose,” Murad advised.

There are many considerations one should take into account when adopting a pet, and it seems that those oftentimes get ignored. “When you adopt, it’s a commitment, period,” Murad said. “Too many people still bring home an animal because ‘it's cute.’ But did they think long-term?” The expenses and the time that it takes to train a pet often get ignored.

Furthermore, certain issues such as household members being allergic or not wanting to help take care of the animal need to be considered. Pets will always need companionship and training, so if one is unprepared to provide either, maybe having pets isn’t for them. Throughout his years of working with animals, Murad has come to the conclusion that the most successful adoptions are the “ones that are planned, and the person has done their homework on the animal.”

There are some positives for adopting a new family member during the holidays. Most importantly—Adopting a pet saves a life and makes more room at the shelter for an animal in need of a warm bed. Plus, with everyone on vacation from school and work, the family has extra time at home to get to know and train the new pet, easing the transition of adoption.

The ASPCA highly encourages folks to adopt during the holidays. Their study conducted in 2013 revealed that there’s no harm in giving an animal as a gift, as long as it’s done right. They found that adopting a pet during the holidays has no negative effect on emotional attachment and 86% of pets adopted during the holidays remained in the home.

However, we cannot ignore the other side of the same coin. A dog is for life, not for Christmas. Sadly, the excitement of owning a pet sometimes overshadows the reality of the responsibilities said pets bring with them. It’s not as easy to fix an “oopsie” of adopting a pet that you can’t really take care of, so better not to make these mistakes to begin with, as it’s the animal that will suffer the most.

Dogs bond with their humans and may not understand why that bond was suddenly broken, says Rebecca Ruch-Gallie, service chief of community practice at Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital. Additionally, dogs thrive with routine, she says. Entering a shelter for the first time, adoption, acclimation to a new home, and relinquishment to the shelter again can be disorienting for the animal.

As Adrian Burder, Chief Executive for Dogs Trust, said: “Dogs Trust take in thousands of much-loved dogs from heartbroken owners who sadly find themselves unable to continue to care for their dogs due to unavoidable changes in their circumstances, so it’s particularly hard for staff when they see [...] dogs handed in simply because their owners bought them on a whim and consider them little more than toys to be discarded when the novelty wears off.”

But if after all this, you still think that adopting a new pet for Christmas is the right choice for you, veterinarians Bronwyn Orr and Mark Westman have some tips and advice for you. If adopting a pet for a child, remember the parent is ultimately responsible for the pet. Consider adopting an older cat (eight years and over) or a middle-aged dog (five to eight years of age), as they are the hardest to re-home and, thus, spend the longest time in the shelter.

Christmas decorations and ornaments such as tinsel and Christmas tree hangings can be ingested by the pet by accident, so be aware of that. Dogs also can get very sick with pancreatitis after consuming a fatty meal, so no feeding leftover Christmas ham or sausages. Or chocolate—pups and chocolate don’t mix.

December is an incredibly chaotic month, full of festivities, loud noise and lots of people walking in and out of the home, which can be overwhelming for a new pet. Just this alone may deter one from adopting right in the middle of the holiday season, and perhaps keeping the special occasion for the New Year. 

Lots of things to consider and for good measure—we’re speaking about live animals! A bundle of joy, and a bundle of responsibility; one rarely goes without the other. We’re very grateful to Murad for all the insight he shared with us. If you’d like to check out and help support the Santa Fe Animal Shelter, I’ll leave links to their social media here and their website here.

As you continue to scroll through this lovely list, don’t forget to upvote your favorites and leave some comments. I wish you a wonderful New Year and hope to see you in the next one!