Categories: PETS

Adopting a pet this holiday season? Consider this advice


Those looking to give back this holiday season may consider welcoming a new furry friend into their home. However, while the season of giving and days off may seem like the perfect time to adopt a new pet, representatives from local shelters recommend that people do so only if they can commit to properly acclimating them to the new home, even during the hustle and bustle of the season.

Amid the busy holiday time, North Jersey animal shelters and rescues said, adoptions have remained steady, with some even seeing an increase.

Megan Brinster, executive director at Ramapo-Bergen Animal Refuge in Oakland, said RBARI typically sees an rise in adoptions at this time of year, especially once people are done traveling for the holidays and are settling into a winter routine. Executive Director Tiffany Cotton of St. Hubert's Animal Welfare Center in Madison echoed Brinster, saying the holidays are a busy time for adoption.

The Bergen County Animal Shelter and Adoption Center in Teterboro has continued to see a steady flow of interest throughout the holiday season, with many people looking to set up appointments for right after Christmas or New Year's.

Although adoptions have remained steady, Brinster added that the holiday season often comes with an increase in dumped and abandoned animals, saying, “The holidays can be a wonderful time, but they can also be a time of financial strain and stress for many people. As the weather gets colder, we find more and more animals abandoned in dire situations.”

How shelters are combating the adoption of pets as gifts

After the 2023 holiday season, the Bergen County Animal Shelter saw the surrender of at least 25 dogs, leading officials to warn against giving pets as gifts.

“Everyone thinks it's a great idea to get a pet for a child for Christmas and don't realize the responsibility,” Bergen County Commissioner Steven Tanelli told NorthJersey.com in January. “They get buyer's remorse, and our shelters get inundated with returns.”

To combat this situation and ensure that every animal is going to a safe, loving and forever home, many shelters, including St. Hubert's, RBARI and the Bergen County shelter, do a thorough job of vetting potential adopters.

For example, at St. Hubert's, adoption counselors speak with those looking to adopt to learn about their household and lifestyle, to ensure that they understand what having a pet entails and to “set them up for success.”

“We find that most adopters have done their homework, they’ve done their research and they’re ready. The holidays are a nice time for them to add a pet to their families, because they’re on vacation and school break. They have time to acclimate the puppy, dog, cat or kitten to their home,” Cotton said.

The Bergen County Animal Shelter and RBARI require the whole family to meet the animal they are looking to adopt, to ensure that the everyone in the home is on board with the addition.

“Because of this, we really don't run into the issue of people adopting out animals as gifts,” Brinster said. “While people always have the best intentions, we believe that the best situation for the adopters, and the animals, is the one in which everyone is present and excited for the meet. Our goal is to always set up the animals and the adopters for success and to help individuals and families find the best fit possible.”

Deborah Viney, community relations specialist and adoption coordinator at the Bergen County shelter, said she is not anticipating many returns. However, past years have brought an influx of purebred dogs to the shelter in January and February. The surrendered dogs are often “impulse buys as gifts” from pet stores, said shelter Manager Robert Bergamini.

Adopting a pet during the holiday season

In addition to the practicality of time off, Cotton said, it is “the season of giving, and adding a shelter pet to your family is opening your heart and home as an act of love during the holiday season.”

However, if you plan to bring a new pet home during the busy holiday time, it is important to commit to creating a routine.

Cotton recommends that you provide your new pet with a quiet place to go if things get overwhelming and that you create a routine with them as soon as you can.

If you are going to have a full house or a hectic schedule, Viney and Bergamini recommend that you wait until after the holidays to welcome a pet into your home. When bringing in a new pet during any time of the year, you should introduce them slowly to new people and environments and try to make the transition as stress-free as possible.

“I think a lot of people fall in love with the cute face and the Hallmark moment of handing the puppy with a bow under the tree without really thinking it out,” Viney said. “The holidays are a hectic time, so we always advise people that if you’re not ready right now or if you’re going to have a full house and a lot of things going on, to wait until after the holidays.”



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Doggone Well Staff

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