active_apathy

This entry is about the sign that I saw, which was advertising Westfield gift vouchers. It's last so that it's higher up on your friends pages, because I'm sneaky like that.

On the poster, there was a listing for 'pets'. Seemingly, this refers to the presence of pet shops in a number of Westfield stores. Someone buying a pet for themselves with a gift voucher is, in my opinion, fair enough - it's likely to be a decision they've come to themselves, after appropriate consideration.

That said, on first reading the sign looked to me like a list of gift ideas - which is why I'm posting this.

Friends, lurkers, other readers: Pets are never any kind of casual gift idea.

While I very much hope that most of you already firmly believe this, it deserves to be restated as we approach xmas; a time when, traditionally, irresponsible people see the cuteness but not the commitment and love that are due to any pet - a comitment to provide food, to look after their health, to play and interact every day, to provide access to shelter, to provide adequate space, and to provide an interesting environment for when there's no people to play with.

Don't give pets as gifts, suggest pets as gifts, or sit idly by if you know someone who thinks animals can or should be wrapped up with pretty bows, given away, and then put away and neglected after a week or two like a salad bowl or a robot dinosaur. It's not fair and it's not right for anyone to let it happen.

Also, consider adopting a pet from a shelter or similar, rather than buying from a pet shop or breeder. Not only do they take care of desexing your pet and ensuring they've had all their shots, you get to give an animal the kind of life they deserve but missed out on the first time - and for that, they'll love you more than you'll ever know.