by Tiffanee Boone
Shopping for gifts takes a lot of time and thought for each family member or friend. A gift that may seem fun and cute at the time might turn out to be a problem in the future, such as giving live animals as Christmas or Easter gifts. Our office has received many phone calls over the years from parents panicking because they don’t know how to take care of their child’s new fuzzy pony, or they didn’t realize how much work and money bottle-feeding a calf would be and they need to find another home for their aunt’s well intended gift.
Before you think about giving an animal to a child as a gift, first get an OK from the parent or caregiver and make sure that they understand the responsibility and future expense of taking care of that animal. Saying that you will come and help them take care of their pet when you don’t live in the same house is usually not practical. Some animals can live for 25 years or more, and the family must be committed to care for the pet for its lifetime. You don’t want to give a gift that ends up in an animal shelter, gets shuffled from home to home, or ends up abandoned on the side of the road.
If you are sure that an animal will be a good gift for a family and they have agreed to it, you may want to give them a gift certificate to a shelter so that they can pick out their own pet. Some families may prefer older animals that have less energy and more manners, whereas other families may prefer an animal that has just been weaned so the children may grow up with their pet. If you know a horse-crazy youth that lives in the city, a good alternative gift might be to get them books about horses or a gift card for riding lessons at a commercial stable.
Animals need fresh water at all times, appropriate food for their body condition score, and exercise. Animals may also need extra minerals if they are not being fed a complete diet. They need vaccinations and trips to the veterinarian when they are sick. Depending on the animal, they need nails or hooves trimmed regularly, as often as every two months. The pet may need worm, flea, tick, or fly control, along with a bed, chew toys, fencing, hay, or pasture. Even if the family already has animals, any new additional animal will require adjustments to care for one more, such as a puppy that chews furniture or a goat that crawls under the fence.
Having voiced the cautions, animals can be a wonderful addition to any family. They can teach life skills such as responsibility and compassion and bring much joy and friendship. The main thing to remember before giving an animal as a gift is that they cannot be returned to the store if things do not work out.
For additional information on animal care or livestock issues, please contact Anthony Growe, N.C. Cooperative Extension Livestock Agent at 910-997-8255 or amgrowe@ncsu.edu.
