May I suggest that there is many animals in need right in your community.
In the past almost 3 years we have seen the number of discarded pets triple here at the American Eskimo Rescue and Sanctuary of Iowa, mostly because of our faltering economy, job losses to overseas companies and people forced to downsize. So if you check with your local pound, rescue or humane society, you will not only find a wonderful gift, but you will also be giving a gift as well to a wonderful being that might die without you. And he or she will be a present that the whole family will remember for years to come. Note: make sure the whole family wants one first.

May I offer a caution? Giving a pet as a Christmas present is not always the kindest way to introduce an animal into a family.

I personally feel Christmas is the absolutely worst time of the year to give a pet as a gift. Joining a strange new family is very scary for a wee animal at the best of times. Christmas morning is not the time. If you absolutely must give a pet for Christmas..make it a gift certificate to be redeemed once the excitement of the holiday dies down and when your child will have the time to properly welcome the new addition to the family and give the animal the attention it justly deserves.

Animals are living breathing beings who are so willing to love unconditionally if only care is taken to earn their trust. They give back so much to those they love. They are not just another parcel wrapped in colourful gift wrap and adorned with ribbons to receive attention for short periods of time and then to be relegated to a toy box or played with sporadically through the coming months as is the fate of so many christmas gifts.

Just something to consider when thinking about surprising the family with a new member. I am very partial to animals .. in many cases I like them a lot better than some humans !

I agree completly with "ConcernedObserver" and is why I put this note at the end."Note: make sure the whole family wants one first".

We do make sure the whole family meets a pet before it is adopted around the holidays or any other time. But that doesn’t mean you cant have a wonderful holiday with a new addition, you just need to make sure the new being has the approval of the whole family. Just stay out of the pet stores because most of those are puppy mill pets.
Here is a link to our site http://www.eskiedog.com

Hear, hear! The Denver Dumb Friends Leagues recently reported 180 cats in need of adoption.
Here's a chance to work together on a great community project. Indeed, stay away from breeders and help those animals who offer love and loyalty.
(Responsibly) adopt a pet this weekend!

I got my last two dogs at the pound. They were about 10 months old, and obviously too active and in need of more attention than folks could handle. There's something special about rescuing pets in need.

Like you, I encourage adoption by those who want to share their lives with a pet.

When I was in fourth grade I got for my birthday a little dog at the pound. He was a mixed breed (half poodle and half greyhound) and he was so much fun. He sadly died in seventh grade (we think he choked on something) and my brother and I were just so torn up. I remember during the school day I had to try my hardest to keep my tears back from losing my puppy. I do miss him a lot but I know he'll be back in my life again (we've been together before in past lives). My brother wants an animal but my parents don't want any more pets. I remember my little dog was so lovable and definietly loved attention. I have wonderful memories of my little dog. Pets are a great gift and I love the gift certificate idea.

This is a great thread, but I also want to add that once people get a pet, they need to make sure that they get them spayed/neutered and it isn't cheap. We have far too many stray and unwanted animals out there. So before you get a pet, please make sure that your family finances allow for caring for that pet as well.

My husband and I have already taken two stray cats to the vet this year. One to be spayed and the other to be neutered. The spay cost about $300 and the neuter was close to $200. It's not just the actual surgery. You may be required to pay for boarding the animal overnight as well as any vaccinations that may be required in your community (ours requires rabies and feline distemper vaccines).

And then there are the yearly vaccines as well as any other problems that come up.

But if you can afford to keep a pet, they are such a wonderful addition to anyone's life. We got two kitties from the shelter 7 years ago and they are as important to me as my right arm. I wouldn't know what I would do without them.

I agree with ConcernedObserver. Animals can be better than many of the people I know.

Loved what you had to say - and I just want to add that most animal shelters, particularly the no-kill kind, allow you to "buy" the adoption fee, shots, spay/neuter fee and other associated costs before choosing a pet. Basically, you can go in, buy the entire package and present it as a Christmas gift - and then the family can go when they are ready and choose their pet. You don't even have to choose whether you want to pre-purchase a cat or dog - since cats are generally less expensive to adopt, many of the shelters will take whatever balance is left over and apply it towards food, a carrier, a bed, etc. So you can buy the "dog" package - but they may end up adopting a cat instead while still being able to use the full dollar amount of your gift. Or they can choose to donate the balance to the shelter. Like anything, shop around and see what is available. I prefer to support no-kill shelters. If you feel the same, this is something you'll want to confirm before you make your purchase.

You'll love The Rainbow Bridge. Whoever wrote it was inspired and very spiritual.

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Author unknown...

We recently lost our schnauzer. He was my constant companion and I miss him very much. The rainbow bridge was especially touching for me. Thank you!!

We find over here that Christmas isnt just a time for giving but also a time to DUMP the pets that shouldnt have been given to families in the first place.
When I resided in Sydney,we used to always get the cats & birds that people didnt want,and at one stage we had 20 cats and 45 birds.We have kept most of the cats,but found homes for the birds.
We have the RSPCA which we donate money to every year abnd also a copuple of other organizations of which we vbelong to and assist where possible in looking after the animals and finding GOOD homes for them.
I hate people who spend heaps of dollars on pets this time of the year only to turn around a week later and dump it.
We have a full house this year,so PLEASE no more animals.
I am a member of Dabs....Domestic Animal Birthcontrol Society,which assists in getting animals desexed,I am also a mameber of RSPCA...Royal Society to Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and also Doggie Rescue....I have also ben asked to take over the local WIRES which is an organization to look after wild animals as well,SO please no more animals for me. :D :D :D :D :D

If you really want to help and can't adopt please donate to your local shelter.
No Money? Give the gift of time. A few hours really helps out those over worked
faithfull long timers. Just hold a cat or walking a dog can make a huge
difference.

Adopting a friend is a lifetime commitment to them. 1 to 25 years depending on
the friends age. Imagine a cat or dog who has a couple of years with you.
A loving kind and gentle soul that gives them a happy end to life!

My dog was abused his first two years of life. He is now 12, will be 13 in May. He has been the most wonderful being in my life, loving, kind. He is a therapy dog that also helps many others and I highly recommend adopting a pet.

Radical mom - Thank you for RAINBOW BRIDGE - it was beautiful. Although I now have a crazy border collie mix, I still miss the dogs I had in the past...
the ones I grew up with, and helped me to grow up... they become part of you!

JILLinaz, you're very welcome I also miss the pets who blessed my life through the years.

The Rainbow Bridge was part of a four-page spread honoring the life of my first border collie, a rescue, when he passed on to the Rainbow Bridge. This piece was comforting to me. He was like my own child. We got our second border collie (probably a mix), a year before my first bc passed away. Our first helped train him. Then my second bc helped nurture my kitten when we first got her. And they all nurture me!

The world take a lesson from our furkids.

Cathy, my sincere sympathy on the loss of your dog. I'm glad, though, that you found the Rainbow Bridge comforting.

I truly believe we stay connected to our pets when they pass on. I know I'll see my furkids again.

Hi. When I got my dog at the humane society, the neutering was part of the price to adopt him - and it was required. They would have done it before I got him, but since he was only 6 months old, it was too early - but it was included later on when it was time.

He is such a sweet dog - I will definately go again. I actually went in looking for some beagles they had advertised, because I love beagles and our family has had them a long time. The beagles had been adopted already, but I could not leave without taking a dog with me. He licked my hands through the cage, and adopted me. Plus he was the only dog that wasn't barking - I lived an apartment at the time. Of course he now is the barkiest dog I've ever seen, but I live in a house, so that's ok.


Meg

That is true in most rescues and shelters. Our adoption fees include spay/neuter, heartworm test and heartworm preventative, test and treat other parasites, Frontline flea and tick treatment, all shots, house trained(unless otherwise specified) and groomed. We only charge $165.00-200.00 for all that, which is only to defray the actual costs which are around $300-$400 per Eskie. The rest comes from donations and fundraisers.
Donations usually don’t completely cover the sanctuary, so usually our board of directors helps with the sanctuary animals, because they are so expensive to keep. And considering that this is the last stop for them, there are also those fees, when they expire.
http://www.eskiedog.com

[quote=RadicalMom,Nov 26 2004, 11:56 PM]
You'll love The Rainbow Bridge. Whoever wrote it was inspired and very spiritual.

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....




RADICALMOM,

Thanks for this post...and just so you know, It brought me on the brink of tears here at my desk. See, this is a very tough time of year for me. Three years ago, I was extremely happy with my first pet of my own, Max the ferret, and another who was given up named Aries. One day I got home and they didn't come out, I finally started to get nervous because they sometimes hide. After much searching I realized they were gone, along with some credit cards and other things. Friends of the criminal family living downstairs stole my babies.

I did everything I could think of to try and find them. I hired an investigator, made posters, played detective myself....but never found my babies. To this day I still look. We know who robbed me, but of course the law doesn't work in our favor all of the time. Lack of proof lost me my two precious pets. I miss them so much...and its bringing me to tears now. These animals were my life, and I miss them dearly EVERY DAY....

After about six months I got three more ferrets (in one day), and I have since added four more. They have their own bedroom in my house, and I let them run often, knocking over everything in site.

I've also got a dog now...a beagle-shepard mix who was abandoned - chained to a guardrail on the thruway. She's a bit much, but I love her..as I do ALL of my animals....I prefer them over people :D

I would suggest to anyone to consider adopting an animal, it could be worth it to both of you. But first please be positive that you are able to handle the pet, and you have a lot of patience. They need love and understanding.

Thanks for listing to me babble....this is a great thread...