Christmas is a tempting time to bring up a plea for a pet but is it really the right time?
Animal organisations advise against giving pets as presents but many contributions to My Pet make it clear that requests for a pet are often granted. So if your Christmas list has a kitten, puppy, rabbit, hamster or bird on it think about the new little animal's feelings carefully. Be prepared for fewer presents on Christmas morning because a pet should be delivered as early as now! This will give you time to get used caring for your new friend and it will have time to get used to you, before all the excitement of Christmas. A young, or even older, new pet might be terrified by all the noise, strange visitors and upheaval that the Christmas holiday brings.
Pets need regular care, even over Christmas, and if you haven't already got into a routine, you may find it hard to start one with all the distractions that Christmas brings. Your pet meanwhile will just be confused and very probably frightened by all that's going on.
This is also the time of year when pictures of homeless pets make us want to take every one home! Persuading an adult grown that a Christmas pet would guarantee perfect behaviour till you grew up, or at least for the following year, is made easier by heart-tugging pictures of homeless animals.
We all get hit by the "ahhh" factor at Christmas. The reality is resisting every huge-eyed, photo op, charmer that appears and thinking carefully about how it will fit into the family. Make sensible decisions about what type of pet you should get.
Who will feed and exercise and train it? How will everyone feel long after Christmas, when there are food bills, vet's bills and care while you are on holiday to think of - for many more years. You cannot chuck away a pet you've grown to love when the decorations come down!
A pet could make this Christmas and others very happy, for years to come. So, if you are having a pet for Christmas get it now. Sharing Christmas with a pet who already feels at home will give you far more joy and fun than worrying about how it is settling in while you're welcoming family and friends, partying and generally having fun.
Choose a pet carefully!
by Daniel Mallia, nine, of Zurrieq
A pet in the family
by Damian Borg, seven, of Mtarfa
My birds
by Gabrielle Meli, 10, of Marsascala
My pets
by Leanne Agius, 10, of Dingli
Animal organisations advise against giving pets as presents but many contributions to My Pet make it clear that requests for a pet are often granted. So if your Christmas list has a kitten, puppy, rabbit, hamster or bird on it think about the new little animal's feelings carefully. Be prepared for fewer presents on Christmas morning because a pet should be delivered as early as now! This will give you time to get used caring for your new friend and it will have time to get used to you, before all the excitement of Christmas. A young, or even older, new pet might be terrified by all the noise, strange visitors and upheaval that the Christmas holiday brings.
Pets need regular care, even over Christmas, and if you haven't already got into a routine, you may find it hard to start one with all the distractions that Christmas brings. Your pet meanwhile will just be confused and very probably frightened by all that's going on.
This is also the time of year when pictures of homeless pets make us want to take every one home! Persuading an adult grown that a Christmas pet would guarantee perfect behaviour till you grew up, or at least for the following year, is made easier by heart-tugging pictures of homeless animals.
We all get hit by the "ahhh" factor at Christmas. The reality is resisting every huge-eyed, photo op, charmer that appears and thinking carefully about how it will fit into the family. Make sensible decisions about what type of pet you should get.
Who will feed and exercise and train it? How will everyone feel long after Christmas, when there are food bills, vet's bills and care while you are on holiday to think of - for many more years. You cannot chuck away a pet you've grown to love when the decorations come down!
A pet could make this Christmas and others very happy, for years to come. So, if you are having a pet for Christmas get it now. Sharing Christmas with a pet who already feels at home will give you far more joy and fun than worrying about how it is settling in while you're welcoming family and friends, partying and generally having fun.
Choose a pet carefully!
by Daniel Mallia, nine, of Zurrieq A pet in the family
by Damian Borg, seven, of Mtarfa My birds
by Gabrielle Meli, 10, of Marsascala My pets
by Leanne Agius, 10, of Dingli