Dog-As-Gift: Think It Through

When the question was posed to Gail Mackie, executive director of SpokAnimal C.A.R.E. in Spokane, she paused.

“Why is it a bad idea to give a dog as a Christmas present?” I had asked.

Mackie’s hesitation caught me off guard. Because she and other animal shelter workers daily deal with the many dogs whose owners couldn’t - or wouldn’t - keep them for one reason or another, I assumed she’d launch into a litany of reasons why giving a dog as a holiday gift is not a very intelligent approach to dog ownership.

But dogs needing homes sat in pens just down the hall from where Mackie sat as she talked to me on the phone. They are the reason she took a very thoughtful tack in answering my question.

“I appreciate that people are trying to do something nice for someone they care about,” Mackie said. “They obviously know the value of pets in their life. But I urge people who want to give someone a dog as a present to let that person be a part of the decision.”

A good way of doing that is to give a gift certificate toward the adoption of a dog from an animal shelter.

A gift certificate gives your friend or relative the chance to decide if they really want the long-term commitment of owning a dog. If they do, they can take the time to find the right kind of dog, one that will comfortably fit into their lifestyle for at least a decade.

SpokAnimal, the Spokane Humane Society and the Spokane County animal shelter all offer gift certificates for animal adoption. SpokAnimal also has gift certificates for vaccinations and spay and neuter surgeries.

All three animal shelters usually have both mixed-breed and purebred dogs. Adult dogs and puppies are available. If you want a purebred dog and can’t find one through any of the shelters, check if any are available through the Animal Rescue Coalition (928-9119 or 922-0270) or Pet Rescue (226-1486).

If that doesn’t work, find a local club devoted to a specific breed or type of working dog. Local veterinarians, one of the local dog training clubs or the people at Thunder Mountain Dog Supply can probably help you find an ethical group.

As these groups may not have gift certificates, you may need to make your own.

And what about skipping gift certificates altogether and just putting a puppy under the Christmas tree for the kids?

When asked this question, Mackie did not hesitate to answer.

“The responsibility of caring for a dog rests on the adult’s shoulders,” she said. “Only an adult can truly understand a dog’s needs, and then meet those needs.”

Owning a dog is usually a 10- to 16-year commitment. That’s 3,650 to 5,840 days of walking the dog, paying attention to it, training it, grooming it, feeding it, cleaning up after it and paying for its vet bills - all adult responsibilities.

Mackie said she can tell many dogs brought into the shelter between January and March were given as Christmas presents when they were puppies because of the explanations people give her and her staff.

“People say their kids lost interest, or they didn’t know the puppy would grow so large,” Mackie said. “People also say they didn’t realize owning a dog was so much work.”

Thankfully, these dog owners were humane and brought their unwanted dogs to the animal shelter. But the moment they drove away, the dogs began paying a deep emotional price for their ignorance.

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