Prof: Think twice before giving kittens, puppies this holiday season
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"A child may ask for a puppy or a kitten or it may sound like the perfect gift for a girlfriend, but there is a tremendous amount of thought and planning that needs to take place before adopting a pet," says Mark Bernstein, a philosophy professor and the Joyce and Edward E. Brewer Chair in Applied Ethics.
Whether the pet is a Christmas gift or adopted any other time of year, Bernstein says it is important to focus on the correct pairing between human and animal.
"A child may want a border collie, but he or she may not know that border collies need an exceptional amount of exercise," he says. "The child must be willing to take the dog on many more walks than most dogs. And if the owner does not have time to make sure the dog receives the appropriate amount of exercise, or the person does not enjoy long walks, then a border collie is not the right breed for this family."
Bernstein says it also is important to remember that being a pet owner is about responsibility and that animals can be costly. Veterinary bills can be expensive, and caring for a cat or dog can be a large time investment.
"Whoever is taking on the responsibility for the pet needs to remember that this animal is a member of the family," says Bernstein, who has a cat and dog.
Bernstein also encourages potential pet owners to select a cat or dog from an animal shelter.
"People who say they want a pure breed may not realize that 20 to 25 percent of animals in shelters are purebreds," he says. "Supporting shelters can help prevent unnecessary breeding and reduce the population at the shelter. Two to 4 million animals are killed every year at pounds throughout the United States."
Even though kittens and puppies are often people's first choice, Bernstein says there are many advantages to selecting an older pet. For example, the animal is less likely to be frisky and more likely to be housebroken.
"Plus, puppies and kittens are much more likely to be adopted, so by choosing an older pet you are really saving two animals."
If giving an animal turns out not to be the best option, one might consider the life-saving alternative of making a donation to a local animal shelter in another person's name, he says.
Writer: Amy Patterson Neubert, (765) 494-9723, apatterson@purdue.edu
Source: Mark Bernstein, (765) 494-4295, mbernste@cla.purdue.edu
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu
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