Question:
The Humane Society of Canada is dead set against it, as is PETA. However, there seem to be circumstances when it sounds good. I almost bought my bf a couple of guinea pigs yesterday, but then I reconsidered. What are the conditions when giving a pet as a gift is appropriate? Personally, I would never give a pet to a child or someone inexperienced w/ animals, or dirt poor, or extremely busy.
My bf has helped care for my gp's & Cub for a long time, & I know that he would take care of his own pets, should he get them. (He is currently torn between gp's & chins).


Answer:
I think it is better to define the circumstances first before I offer my humble opinion. For instance, last year, a girl in the llama club was given a llama for her birthday. But it wasn't something that was like "Oh, Happy Birthday, BTW we got you a llama". It was the llama that she had been borrowing from the farm, so she really got to know the animal, and it was something that had been talked out... like "What would you do if we bought Shay for your birthday? What is your plan of paying to let her stay at the farm until we get property?...."
What I admired about this was that it was not a spur of the moment gift, but a well thought out plan to make sure that everyone's best interests were served, including the llamas.
As well, last year, I "bought" (well, she was actually given to us in return for one of her kits) my bf a rabbit. But it wasn't "Merry Christmas, I got you a rabbit" it was "Do you want a rabbit?" (at that point I already had my own rabbit).
However, I believe that the spontaneous gifting of pets that frequently occurs is why so many animals end up in the pound or shelter.


Answer:
I bought my fiance a kitten. But I knew she'd be cared for as we were living together at that time. I also got my first cat as a birthday present from my parents. However, on the other side of the coin, I gave a kitten to a friend ( when I was young) and her mother put it down because they"couldn't litter box train it" I was so upset - she didn't even call me, I would have taken it!
So, think it's ok aslong as you REALLY know the person you are giving to, AND in some cases, the parents.


Answer:
This is just MHO but a gift of a pet cannot be spontaneous. I feel that in all cases, it needs to be well thought out and the future of that pet needs to be planned. Neuro, you said that your bf wants GPs or a chin...that shows some planning that he has narrowed the choice down and hopefully has done his research as to the requirements of each breed. Back when I was looking for another cat, I would have loved to get a kittne (or cat) as a gift once I was ready to take another one on.
I don't necessarily agree that children shouldn't be given pets as gifts. I have received two pets as gifts when I was younger and they were both well taken care of from the beginning. The important thing to remember was that my parents were willing to take over the care of the pet should I fail to.


Answer:
I don't feel a pet is a suitable gift unless the person can pick out the pet him/herself. I know for myself, even if my friend knew that I wanted a certain pet.. If I am the one that is going to feed, house & care for the animal for the rest of his life.. I want to choose it myself. At the shelter, if we are aware that the pet is being given as a gift, we will sell the person a gift certificate so that the receiver can come in & pick it out themselves. A pet isn't like giving someone a toaster!


Answer:
I understand that perspective, and to some extent, I agree that I would like to pick one out myself, if that were the case.
I know that there is a certain age where anything will do. Not because there's a desperation to have a pet, but that when you are young enough, you see the beauty in any animal and if you are not aware that there were other choices, it often doesn't come to mind that you didn't pick it out.
I know when I got my cat (as my 16th bday present, actually. Well planned in advance, however), I had difficulties choosing the one I wanted. I went three times to see which one I liked best, and finally, my dad made me pick one so he could put a deposit on it so that the cats we wanted wouldn't get sold. There were two that I thought I might like, one was gray and orange, and the other was orange and white. On a spurr of the moment, I picked the orange and white one, which turned out to be a male (the gray one was female) and to this day, I still wonder, what would have happened had I picked the gray one? I don't regret picking the one that I did (because he is just adorable), but still, am curious as to what the other pet would have turned out like.
Now, that could be in part because I am the type that goes to bed at night thinking "What if I had done this today, instead of that? Oh, I should have said this instead! Darn it, why didn't I think of that earlier?" (in other words, over-analytical), but that's also an indication of how our thought processes develop as we age.
A six year old, given a puppy, doesn't know that there were other puppies to choose from, and thus, may not realize that the one she's got was actually the "ugliest" (if that's possible with puppies) one.
As well, it depends on who is buying the pet. I don't think that I would give a pet to a child that wasn't my own, as it is often hard to judge what the parents of that child will say/think/do, etc.
As a parent, I would hope that I would be able to pick out a pet (if I must) for my child that he/she would be happy with, but I am also finicky and wouldn't just look for colours but also attitude. Some people have been known to fall for a pretty face
In any case, for some reason, they won't let me dictate the actions of the world, so all I can do is do my humble part to make sure that if one our rabbits becomes a gift, it winds up in the best possible place


Answer:
my hubby gave me one of our cats as a gift


Answer:
A pet isn't good as a suprise gift, and i've always believed so. Ever since I got fish for my 7th bday and didn't want them. My parents ended up taking care of them completely because I was already taken with my gerbil. I didn't want any new pets. I think that's the thing you have to avoid with people. Don't just spring it on em, it's one of those gifts that HAS to be discussed out first.


Answer:
i agree that you must know the person, know their wants, if they are responsible enough, etc. i have wanted a siamese kitten for a long, long time. my girlfriend bought me one for my birthday. i made it clear, when she said she was going to, that i wanted to rescue. not go to a breeder. but i also made it clear i wanted a fairly young one. it did not have to be a 6 week old kitten, but i wanted a youngin'. i wanted it to go through that formative time with me. i wanted to start"from scratch" as it were. i also wanted a boy. i was very firm on this. there was a litter of siamese mix kits near here, in a shelter/foster situation that had just been spayed and there was one boy that looked like he was going to be a seal point. there was also a woman in east st louis that had a 2 year old female seal point. neither were in any more danger or distress than the other. she got the 2 year old female because it is what SHE thought i should have (and it was half the adoption price-we're talking $25 to $50 here.), totally disregarding what my want was. what i had been dreaming of for literally years!
now, don't get me wrong. i love my dusty rose. i really and truly do, but i also wonder and wish that i had gotten the kitten. it was what i wanted. and by the time i knew what she had done, the kitten was adopted out and my chance was gone.
and, honestly, i live in a huge house and can easily afford my cats and hoggies, etc. my children and i have more than enough love and time for them. lord knows i spoil them! (if you don't believe me, check out my spoiled subject under cats!). the thing is, if she had told me that she felt she needed to get dusty, there was a vibe or whatever. i would have gotten dusty AND my kitten.....she could have paid for one and me the other or whatever.
i guess my point it two fold......you have to know what the other person wants and abide by what is their wish adn what is in their and the animal's best interest and I STILL WANT MY SIAMESE KITTEN (although a girl would be awesome too)!!! ROTFL
ang


Answer:
Awww weesie! That's so sad!!