Animal Agency Earns Award for Helping Cats

The organization offers these questions for parents to ask when considering whether to give their child a pet for Christmas:

How old are your kids? Different pets are appropriate for various ages.

Have you thought about the bills?

Are you committed?

Are you educated about what caring for a pet involves?

It’s best not to get a pet to teach your child responsibility.

ASPCA Senior Vice-President Stephen Zawistowski, suggests that to surprise a child on Christmas Day with a cat, buy a stuffed one and have it by the gifts. He also recommends that before you pick up your pet get the family participating to determine the species, type, and size of animal you’d like.

Zawistowski also highly recommends adopting an animal from a shelter either online or in person where you can see ones available at nearby facilities.

“You can turn this whole experience into an extraordinary experience for the kids,” he said in an article on aspca.org. “When you’ve done it right, your child will likely end up with a longtime friend and companion.”

The ASPCA offers these holiday safety tips:

Keep animals away from rat and mouse bait, antifreeze, and make sure your pet has a warm place to sleep, off the floor and away from all drafts.

Chocolate is not for pets.

Keep your pet on its diet.

Candies and gum should be kept away from pets.

Keep holiday leftovers away from pets and keep them out of the trash.

Keep alcohol away from animals.

Keep aluminum foil and cellophane candy wrappers away from pets.

Be careful with holiday floral arrangements.

Common Yuletide plants such as holly berries, mistletoe, and poinsettias should be kept away from pets.

Keep pets away from Christmas tree water.

Consider decorating your tree with ornaments that are a lot less intriguing to pets like non-toxic flowers, wood, fabric, or pine cones.