I agree with shops/breeders/rescue places not letting animals go over the xmas period.
If you are a responsible person then you wont mind waiting a few more weeks, and can spend the time getting your home adjusted for the new arrival, without the worry of too much hassle/festive celebrations worrying them when they settle.
I was in the locval pet store yesterday and was reading the notice board whilst in the queue and there must have been 3 adverts which said 'puppies/kittens will be ready just in time for xmas' These should not have been allowed to be put up, as clearly these people are selling for the wrong reasons and probably to the wrong people.

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http://www.welovewesties.com

Getting a pet at Christmas for yourself is one thing and perfectly OK. Buying a pet as a present is a totally different thing. It is OK if it it is a planned present i.e. you just do the paying or some such but the new owner-to-be is heavily involved. Buying as a suprise present is too risky by far.

I think all pets looking for homes, be it from a breeder or rescue centre, should be able to be reserved, and then able to take home in January/mid Jan.

I know there are some responsable people who would get a pet as a gift and treasure it, but far too many people jump into it thinking a pet would make a nice gift, without doing the proper research required to own a pet.

I've never given or received a pet at Christmas, but I have received a pet rabbit as a birthday present. I picked her though, and had planned on getting one. She's still going strong 6 years later!

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Photography

I too don't think shops/breeders/rescue should sell/rehome dogs pups or any sort of pets in december or january.

Saying that my OH bought me Freyja for christmas last year. She had been offered to me a couple of months earlier and although she was a bitch I really admired I said I hadn't the room or another bitch. He phoned her breeder and arranged it whilst I was out but told me to phone them when I got in so I did know about her and I didn't actually have her until the middle of january

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Sammy you may be gone but your sprit will always live on in the sunbeams R I P Sammy

William- 6/11/03 - 24/3/10
Midge - 8/2/11 - 10-2-11

I agree pet stores , breeders etc shouldnt home any pets at xmas

But after saying that Gypsy was my xmas pressie , santa just came early to our house this year

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It's a difficult call because, on the one hand, you have the christmas noise/hubbub, but on the other you have an animal homeless in rescue.

The sad fact is that the irresponsible people who want an animal are going to go out and find one from somewhere no matter what. If they can't get one from the rescue they'll go out and buy one from someone who doesn't have this rule.

Yes, if you're responsible you'll be willing to wait the extra few weeks, but it's the responsible people that wouldn't let the christmas shannanigans affect the new pet negatively, if you catch my drift...

What I'm trying to say is although this whole "no re-homing over the christmas period" is a noble and completely sensible effort to protect animals, it's pretty much a useless one that normally just means pets that could be in happy homes over the holidays are instead spending a few more weeks in rescue. I'm sure that it does protect some lucky animals from the misery of being jumped on by excitable children only to be dumped when the novelty wears off, but unfortunately it only condemns another poor unsuspecting animal instead! It's a no-win situation.