Join us for a peaceful rally to educate the public about adopting pets instead of buying them. As we move around to different pet stores, this rally will be at Pet World.
There are no good pet stores that sell live animals because they support breeder and pet mill cruelty. We MUST tell buyers that there are healthy, happy wonderful pets of all kinds in shelters and rescues- waiting to join their families!
A home for the holidays event is to help shelters & rescues find pets a forever home. In addition to the adoption event, we will have vendors out promoting their business/products, raffles, baked goods and lots of fun. We will be holding this event in the PrimeVet Animal Hospital parking lot. Come find your next furry family member and do a little shopping!
So you have the romantic vision of a puppy under the Christmas tree, and the shiny happy kids in awe of your magical gift, huh? Stop, drop, and roll. Now get up and look me in the eyes. Please don’t do it.
In the interest of full disclosure, I have given a dog as a Christmas present to my children. This makes me a complete hypocrite in writing an article about why you should not give a puppy as a Christmas present. Yet here I am.
Every January, two things happen without fail. One, people go to they gym for the first three days and, two, Craigslist, shelters, and rescues will be inundated with unwanted “Christmas presents.” These puppies will absolutely crush an already saturated system.
I’m seriously not trying to be bah-humbuggy here. I’m a parent, too. I want nothing more than to make my children’s eyes light up and dreams come true on Christmas morning. Christmas is magical and there’s nothing like making that magic happen. But! There is another side of being a parent and that involves teaching kids about responsibility and common sense.
Puppies are super cute, but they can also be horribly unpleasant if you’re not prepared. They need a lot of attention, they pee and poop everywhere, eat stuff, and whine. You can’t just stick them back in the box and carry on with your Christmas plans. They make the normal life of a parent who is already on the go all the time nearly impossible. You can’t always arrange school pickup, soccer, dance, and birthday parties around a puppy’s needy schedule.
In addition to the general time-consuming nature of puppies, far too many people elect to buy a puppy from a pet store, a flea market, off an ad, or from someone whose dog had a litter. So now your impulse Christmas present is not only annoying, but you have one with a good chance of having some significant health problems. Nothing crushes holiday magic like a puppy with parvo (which has been happening from certain pet stores in our area recently).
So what to do when your little one has a puppy on his list? First, the adults need to have a discussion about the realities of life with a dog—truly research what this means for your family. While you may tell Sammy the dog will be his responsibility, the adults also have to know he is going to fail at this at times, and it will not be a reason to get rid of the dog (or Sammy). You are the adult, just go ahead and assume this responsibility.
You can still make magic happen…
Once the adults in the home have decided that they can live life with a puppy, go ahead and get your child a toy or a collar for Christmas with a note that this is for his new dog! Include a certificate or note telling him a dog will be adopted after the holidays. I can nearly guarantee there will be a HUGE smile and squeals, just the same. Let your child know that holidays are very dangerous times for a puppy to be in the home and it will be best for him to arrive after the decorations are away and the craziness is over. Then get to work together!
Perhaps you’ve already eyeballed some puppies (or older dogs that may already be trained) on rescue sites and have been talking to the fosters or rescues. Arrange time for the family to meet the dogs. Research together. Make a decision and lifetime commitment together. At the end of the day, you will have given your child not only a furry friend for Christmas, but a valuable lesson in research and responsibility. This puppy or dog will be with you until he is old and gray and needs a little help walking. The moment you bring him home, he is family. You can teach your child that, too!
One final note—the Christmas “puppy” given to my kids was actually a two-and-a-half-year-old stray who had been our foster for six months—we were keeping her. My girls screamed and cried and were just as excited than if we had given them 100 puppies. Sometimes when kids say puppy, all they really want is a dog. Think about that, too!
Sure, there’ve been successful “puppies under the tree” moments that have turned into life-long amazing family moments. The problem is that the numbers that have gone horribly wrong far overshadow the happy stories. If you’re thoughtful with this decision and prepare, you can save a lot of heartache and make the magic last an entire lifetime. •
Karen Camerlengo is an animal advocate and raiser of many dogs, a few humans, and Jasper the bird. Karen lives in Jacksonville, Fla.
I first met Pat Delaney at her vet’s office as we were distributing an issue of Unleash Jacksonville. “My dog, Scarlet was in that magazine,” she proudly told us.“Well, before she was MY dog!” And then Pat went on to explain how this skinny, scared, almost-euthanized mama Pit bull came into her life, and the story is absolutely fantastic. We just had to share.If you were the judging-by-the-book-by-its-cover type (which you’re obviously not) you’d never in a million years see Pat Delaney as a woman who’d have a passion for the vilified Pit bull breed. But, joke’s on you! Pat has been rescuing female pit bull puppies for the past 35 years, and she has nothing but brilliant things to say about them. Her husband was a Navy pilot and deployed many times, “I needed to feel safe in my home with three little girls. Our first was Maggi, a black and white Pit bull puppy, who we rescued at 5 weeks old. She moved many times with us and was even the Commanding Officer’s dog at NAS Jacksonville for a time! She brought us such joy for 11 years. We went on to rescue Darcy, a black fawn Pit Bull, who was with us for 12 years, and then Lily, a chocolate-and-white Pit bull. Lily brought our family years of cheerful and devoted companionship. After losing my husband of 46 years to lung cancer two years ago, then last November, my Lily passed away from liver cancer, I was shattered. I was done and never wanted to be devastated again. The house was empty. And I didn’t plan on getting another dog.”
Then came Scarlet.
At 6 years old, Scarlet was dumped in a high-kill shelter in Orange County—underweight and pregnant. She was gentle and approachable … until she delivered her babies. Under the stress of being in the shelter, and also being a new mom, she became very protective of her babies. She didn’t want anyone to get near them. Any human mother can probably understand Scarlet’s mind set, but she was labeled as aggressive and placed in isolation. She was given a couple of days “deadline” to secure a rescue or else be euthanized, along with her babies.
Poochie’s Pet Rescue worked hard to make a miracle happen. They scrambled to find a foster for Scarlet and her puppies—and did so within just hours of them being killed. “Scarlet and her puppies were fostered by my daughter Kelly’s new neighbor,” recalls Pat. They were there for several months and Scarlet was able to relax and enjoy being a mom. Kelly fell in love with a sweet dog that needed a second chance after being bred so many times.”
When they were old enough, Scarlet’s puppies went to their forever homes, but no one came for Scarlet.
“Kelly begged me to take her for a few days. My brain didn’t want another dog, but apparently, my heart did. I took Scarlet on a trial basis and she never left. I really didn’t comprehend how much I needed her, or how much she needed me.”
If you’ve ever been curious what pure and unconditional love looks like, I’d invite you to spend some time with Scarlet and Pat. During our photoshoot for this story, the thing that stood out most was the beautiful bond these two amazing ladies share. They do everything together. 
“Scarlet is now my constant companion. She’ll get to be the puppy for the rest of her life instead of having puppies. All she has to do now is eat and play and be loved. Scarlet is so happy all the time, from her morning walk, to sleeping on the couch to exploring her half-acre yard through her own door. She brings me so much joy and makes me smile continuously.”
It’s clear that’s all Scarlet wants for Pat as well, after the losses she’s endured. Scarlet is filling up Pat’s formerly empty house with her huge smile and her open heart.
As a long-time Pit bull advocate, Pat would like people to know several things about the breed in general. “Pit bulls are so special! They bring such amazing love and companionship. They’re very loyal, powerful, and devoted. They are majestic animals that display their strength and grace with their every move. Pit bulls are incredibly intelligent, sensitive, and aware of their surroundings. They bond and are protective of their family.”
The smile on her adorable face says it all, Scarlet is safe and she is home—she has truly found her angel. But, according to Pat, “I didn’t rescue her—she rescued me.”
Stepping up for homeless pets: Strut Your Mutt in Jacksonville
Love animals? Interested in saving lives? Join Best Friends Animal Society and our partner rescue groups, shelters and animal welfare organizations for Strut Your Mutt in Jacksonville!
You can register to walk individually or join a team to fundraise for homeless dogs and cats in your community. Then on September 29 join fellow animal lovers to strut at Riverside Park. The event starts with a celebratory walk (dog not required) and includes a family friendly festival with food trucks, vendors and lots of fun activities.
Best Friends, along with our partner organizations are dedicated to helping raise funds for pets in the Jacksonville area. Last year, over 1,000 people raised more than $60,000 for lifesaving programs, such as spay and neuter services, adoption events and more.
