With pet adoption rates lower, if you give a pet as a gift, you have to make sure of a few things

Pet adoption rates are lower than usual in Delaware and nationally.

Large dog adoptions have dropped, and Humane Animal Partners report the see a few reasons why.

They say post-pandemic enough people have changed housing, maybe into smaller spaces. They add many people find cats easier to care for because they tend to be more independent.

To help clear their adoption centers during the holiday season, Humane Animal Partners is offering $50 adoptions, cocoa, and cookies at all of their locations this weekend.

The Wilmington and Stanton/Christiana locations will be open all weekend, with Stanton/Christiana being cat adoptions only. The Rehoboth Beach location is not open on Sunday.

And if you are adopting a pet, Kate Callihan – director of philanthropy with Humane Animal Partners – says there are a few items you need to check off your list.

“It's important that they think about the cost of course, the time commitment, do they have time to spend with this pet, giving the training, taking them out, all of the attention and care that that the animal needs,” said Callihan.

Callihan notes there isn’t a concern about pet returns from gifts at Humane Animal Partners, but that’s why they encourage going in together.

And they have an adoption event this weekend – offering $50 adoptions, cocoa, and cookies at all of their locations.

“We really do feel strongly about the personal experience when adopters come in working one-on-one with the dedicated counselor,” said Callihan. “We feel really strongly about making the best match not to make them jump through a whole bunch of hoops or anything like that, but just to sit down and know what they're looking for and make sure that we match the best person for the pet and that will eliminate or hopefully cut down on the people returning their pets as well.”

Callihan notes if you’re looking to bring a pet home for the holidays or at any time, it’s best to understand the time commitment, cost to feed, vet requirements, and regular preventative measures.