Pets as Presents: Here Are Some Points to Ponder

Attention, animal lovers! The 39th annual Christmas Pet Bail Out Party begins at 8 a.m. Thursday and runs until noon on Christmas Eve.

What’s a Bail Out Party?

It’s when the six Los Angeles County Animal Care and Control Centers give away pets--hundreds of them. And each of the pups and kittens receives a license, inoculations and spay/neuter surgery free of cost to the new owner. Even the impound fee will be waived--all of this courtesy of Tailwagger Foundation and Mercy Crusade Humane Organizations in Van Nuys. There’s a slight hitch, of course: California law requires that a spay/neuter fee ($20 for dogs, $15 for cats) must be paid when you receive a pet. That’s the bad news. The good news? That amount will be reimbursed by Mercy Crusade when the surgery is verified. And one other thing: The person who claims the pet must be at least 18 years old.

It all sounds simple, and it is. It’s a bonanza for folks who plan to give a pet as a Christmas gift, but a lot of thought and planning are necessary to assure a happy relationship between pets and owners. Adopting or purchasing an animal is a very personal choice, and the personalities of the recipients should match the characteristics of the pet.

The ball of fur with wistful eyes and playful, mischievous appeal can grow to an unexpected size in only a few months and definitely will exhibit its own character traits and needs.

Many families with small children go to a shelter or pet shop convinced that tots and small-breed puppies go together. The little Silky or Yorkie is such a good size, they might say. That dachshund or the schnauzer will not take up much room and will love to play with the kids.

Not necessarily so. The small breeds have their own needs: They like to be babied and yet need to be assertive because of their size. The dachshund has a sensitive back and does not take kindly to being handled by children. The choice of a Chihuahua is tempting, but this breed is fragile, excitable and needs to be treated like a toddler.

A better choice for a home with children would be an Australian shepherd--tractable, docile, intelligent and protective. Its behavior is predictable. In the spaniel family, a springer or Brittany makes a good companion and has enough vigor to be a good playmate.

Golden retrievers, Labradors and English setters are known to be reliable and gentle with youngsters.

In addition to the general temperaments, the life style of the family should be considered. Lovers of the outdoors should be happy with an animal that does well in all weather and enjoys being outside. Hunting breeds, such as the German shorthair pointer, English pointer and Labrador retriever, would be good additions to a family that enjoys camping and hiking.

Fine Companions

For cold weather devotees--the skiers and snow enthusiasts--the Siberian husky, the malamute or Samoyed make fine companions, but keep in mind they don’t thrive in the heat.

When you swim laps, the Lab, springer and Brittany will take joyfully to the pool or lake.

After considering personality traits, evaluate the setting for the dog. Contrary to popular belief, experts claim that large dogs do not necessarily need much room. Great Danes, according to many dog trainers, behaviorists and breeders, are ideal apartment dwellers because they really don’t like to run around. Lhasa apsos and Scotties, on the other hand, are constantly underfoot, and even with only one in the home, all that scampering makes you think you have a houseful.

Take the case of Marian Brooks. When she came into an animal shelter to replace her Lhasa apso, she told the volunteer she wanted a small breed, just like “Blanche.” Recently widowed and mourning the loss of her husband and dog, she wanted company.

“I used to love to swim,” she said, “but Blanche wouldn’t even come outside.” Marian told of being afraid to be alone. Blanche was not a watchdog.

A Good Watchdog

Marian’s needs were much better met by a Brittany spaniel, Betsy, who was big enough not to be underfoot, loved the water and was a good watchdog. Marian and Betsy are living happily together.

For a family that lives casually, doesn’t like routine or taking a pet to a beauty shop, a poodle, cocker spaniel, Old English sheep dog or Afghan would be a poor choice. Regular grooming and trimming and daily brushing is a must for these breeds. Haircuts and grooming can be expensive.

When you’ve narrowed the choice of breed, the question of age certainly is a factor to consider. Should you select a pup, a teen-ager or an adult? Bear in mind that puppies and kittens need three meals a day and toilet training and, like tots, tend to get into everything. You’ll have to accept having another baby in the house--one that undoubtedly will be more destructive than a toddler.

On the plus side, if you’re a good disciplinarian and have time and patience, you can train them to conform well to your wishes and routines.

An adult dog will have had training of some kind when he/she comes to you, but perhaps that discipline and those habits will not be suitable to your home. It’s simply not true that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but it does take time and patience.

The Gift That Lasts

Be certain a gift of an animal still will be welcome when the holiday season has passed. Remember, a home decorated for Christmas and the excitement of the season complicates the introduction of a new pet. It’s important to make sure that the new addition will not be in the way of hectic holiday preparations or add to the stress in a house filled with guests.

Many of the Christmas decorations are poisonous: Mistletoe, poinsettias and tinsel must be kept away from dogs and cats. Aluminum foil and gift wrappings are intriguing but dangerous to pets. Even the tree ornaments are a problem. Pets love to steal a glass or plastic ornament and chomp on it.

Cats love the Christmas tree, but usually enjoy it from the inside. After all, they are climbers and, in particular, Siamese cats think the tree is a great place to hide and establish a viewing site.

All the extra electrical cords used for tree lights pose a problem too. Puppies and kittens do gnaw on these.

All things considered, there’s much joy and fulfillment in sharing your life with a pet. The benefits are widely known and verified by therapists and behavioral experts.

In the words of Dr. Aaron H. Katcher, on staff at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, “the interdependency between animal and human is evident as both benefit from having their basic needs for love and response fulfilled.” The pure pleasure of having something to love and to return that love should not be minimized. You simply need to know the wheres, whens and hows of making a wise choice.

City of Los Angeles Animal Care and Control Centers

Here are locations for selecting pets. In addition to dogs and cats, other animals, such as turtles, rabbits and chickens, will be given away if available in the care centers.

North Central, 3201 Lacy St., Los Angeles.

South Central, 3612 11th Ave., Los Angeles.

Harbor District, 735 Battery St., San Pedro.

West Los Angeles, 11950 Missouri Ave., Los Angeles.

West Valley, 20655 Plummer St., Chatsworth.

East Valley, 13131 Sherman Way, North Hollywood.