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Shelters Overwhelmed With Post-Holiday Pet "Returns"
By
Jen Carlson
Published Jan 8, 2010
Modified Jan 8, 2010
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By
Jen Carlson
Published Jan 8, 2010
Modified Jan 8, 2010
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Remember when Daily Candy suggested you buy an adorable little potbelly piglet as a stocking stuffer over the holidays? Well, now those and other animals given away as gifts this past Christmas are filtering into the shelter system.
According to the Daily News new pet owners are knocking down shelter doors after finding their adorable gifts to be a time suck and money pit.
The Humane Society of NY's Sandra DeFeo says, "Lots of people come to us before Christmas and say they want to get an animal as a gift for their fiancée, or their mother, or their brother. Then after Christmas... people admit they are not prepared and they want us to take care of the animal." She adds that larger animals are returned more often, and even more gifted pets are expected in the coming months.
Patrick Kwan of the HSUS tells us "February (Valentine's Day) is another time when people make the uninformed decision to buy animals from pet stores to give away as surprise gifts." Stick to a box of chocolates, people! Or if you want to give your sweetheart a furry friend, give them a certificate for a pet from an shelter animal, so they can make a decision on their own (while not supporting puppy mills).
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animals
gift
holidays
shelters
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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