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Animals, like us, require love and proper care to flourish. Although people who give animals as gifts invariably have good intentions, it is unfair to give an animal to anyone unless you are absolutely certain that the person wants that particular animal as a companion and is willing and able to give a lifetime of proper care.
Adding an animal companion to the family is an important decision. Before adopting, consider the time and money involved in proper animal care. Will your friend or loved one have the time and patience to exercise and housetrain the animal? Is he or she prepared to pay for food, accessories (such as toys, grooming supplies, leashes and harnesses, and bedding), inoculations, and veterinary care, including spaying or neutering, flea treatment, deworming, and emergency care?
Sadly, many people end up giving animals they received as gifts to an overburdened humane society or animal-control agency that is likely filled to capacity. No matter how much they would like to do so, many people who receive animals as gifts find that they are unable to make the lifelong commitment to care for their new companions. In worst-case scenarios, some people even abandon animals on roads or in back yards when they move away.
Sign our pledge that you won't ever give an animal as a gift, and commit never to sentencing an animal to a lifetime of improper care or abandonment.