Every January, South Florida's animal shelters and rescue organizations take in hundreds of unwanted puppies and kittens. Sadly, these young souls who looked so cute under the Christmas tree are often deemed too much for their new families to handle. Pets should never be given as gifts, especially to children who may be too young to understand the nature of a long-term responsibility such as pet ownership.
Pet stores do a brisk business during the holiday shopping season, and many of the puppies sold at such establishments are products of puppy mills. Puppy mill dogs are mass produced for profit, and are often plagued with medical and behavioral problems. If someone on your gift list genuinely wants a pet, and is mature and responsible enough to handle caring for one, consider adopting from one of our many shelters and rescue organizations. Contrary to popular belief, these pets are not necessarily "projects", and nearly 30% of them are purebreds. There are also numerous breed-specific rescues for families who may wish to adopt a purpose-bred dog.