Follow the President-Elect's Lead for a Treasure

Since I discussed sponsoring a pet at a shelter the other day, I decided to expand on that today. For a gift that is truly a treasure and will be loved and give unconditional love for years to come, how about adopting a shelter animal? I know what you're thinking - it isn't a good idea to give a cat or dog to someone. It still isn't. However, shelters are and have been at or near capacity for months. Due to the economy, people are giving up their pets more often than usual and there are many, many good pets awaiting a new home. Thousands of pets each day are being euthanized because there just aren't enough homes.
President-Elect Obama promised his children a new dog once they get settled into the White House (and he also promised to adopt a homeless dog). Since most households are busy during the holidays, full of people and activity, it might be best for you to wait until after the big holiday to adopt a pet.
What you can do for you and your family is present a photo of a cat or dog - or give a cat or dog calendar, marking the date you will take your family to choose your new family member - together. Each person who will be involved with your new 4-legged friend must be acquainted with them and everyone must agree on which pet is best for you. If you or your gifts recipient is a busy person who has very limited time, maybe a cat would be better since they require less hands-on maintenance than dogs. If you're giving a pet to a senior, a mature dog who doesn't require a lot of activity would be good. Families with children, or someone who is active, who can spend time can get a higher energy dog.
Should you go this route, make sure the recipient wants the pet and can afford its care for up to 15 years, they are involved in choosing the pet and are committed to keeping the pet and making it a part of their household.
Make it a happy holiday season for you and a shelter animal.