Why Christmas is the best time to adopt, and giving pets as gifts is A-OK.

Did you ever put a puppy, kitten, or any other type of pet on your Christmas list as a child? There’s absolutely no shame in saying you did it in your adulthood either!

But if you ever woke up on Christmas morning to find a furry bundle waiting for cuddles, you were one of the lucky few. Why? Because giving pets as Christmas gifts has been a hugely controversial issue for many years. The popularly held belief is that it’s irresponsible to give pets as gifts — a belief fuelled by the myth that many pets end up being ‘unwanted’ and surrendered at this time of year.

But here’s the thing.

Pets given as gifts are loved just as much as non-gifted pets, if not more!

Research from the ASPCA proves that pets given as gifts have positive long-term adoption outcomes equal to, or better than, non-gifted pets. Return rates are actually lower, and pets given as gifts are loved and cherished just as much.

So, I’m here to tell you that, as long as you opt to adopt, and you’ve given it careful consideration, a pet is possibly the best gift you could ever give for Christmas!

What’s more, Christmas is the best time to adopt because…

Many people spend the holidays at home, which gives new pets a chance to really settle in, bond with their new family and iron out any teething issues before work and school routines start up again.

It’s also kitten and puppy season, so there are plenty of adorably cute babies available for adoption. Although here are seven super reasons why you should adopt an adult pet.

And, yes, there are more homeless pets looking for a new family at this time of year. But no, it’s not because more pets are being ‘abandoned’ by irresponsible owners.

Hundreds of stray cat families are taken into care at this time of year and new homes are needed for mums and their babies.

It’s also the time of year that many vulnerable and at-risk families and individuals suffer illness and hardships that result in having to surrender their pets. It’s the time of year that more people are admitted to hospital or care facilities. People may be losing their jobs and their homes at Christmas time. Some are going through divorce and are unable to continue caring for their family pet.

For these pet owners who find themselves in such unfortunate situations, PetRescue offers advice to help them keep their pets.

For the homeless pets taken into care by our awesome member rescue groups, shelters and pounds across Australia, PetRescue provides a free listing on petrescue.com.au, plus free adoption support services to help them find the right home faster.

And for those families who are ready to adopt this Christmas, PetRescue has more than 9,000 adorable, adoptable, vet-checked, desexed and microchipped pets to choose from at petrescue.com.au.

Start your search for a new best friend today!

If you and your family aren’t ready to adopt right now, you can still help by making a donation to PetRescue today. Every $10 you give helps one rescue pet find a new home and a family to love for life.