“Will you still need me, will you still feed me, when I’m sixty-four?” That singing you hear is coming from the pet shop parrot—or puppy, or kitten, or turtle. You know—the one you’re thinking of buying for your little nephew or your new sweetie this holiday season.

 

The road to a lasting relationship is a long and winding one (just ask Paul McCartney—when he gets out of divorce court). But it is the only road worth considering with animals in mind. Treat them like toys, accessories or stocking stuffers, and you might as well call your local shelter today and reserve a cage. But make the right decision now, and you’ll be introducing someone you love to one of the most wondrous relationships of their lives (other than the one with you, of course). Here are ten tips for making the perfect match.

 

1. Make it a New Year’s Resolution
Wait … til' the songs fade and the crowds thin and the bills are paid and you get your sanity back from wherever it goes at Christmas. Says Lesley Fox, director of humane education for the Vancouver Humane Society (VHS), “The holidays are a dangerous time to be making these kinds of life decisions.” They’re also a stressful time to be introducing an animal to an unfamiliar environment. Wait. And then …

 

2. Ruin the surprise
You wouldn’t want Angelina Jolie bringing back an extra baby for you, would you? Adoption—whether of a child or an animal—is a major life decision, and the prospective guardian should make it with you. In fact, SPCA's and other shelters won’t adopt animals out as gifts; they insist on the prospective guardian being part of the process, because they’re making a match for life.

 

3. Don’t shop—adopt!
With literally millions of unwanted, abandoned animals fighting for their lives—and a second chance—at shelters around North America, there’s just no good reason to “buy new.” Says Fox, “Buying animals as gifts perpetuates the perception that they’re commodities to be bought and sold like merchandise.” Even if it’s a specific breed you’re looking for, Devin Manky, a senior rehabilitator with the Wildlife Rescue Association of BC (WRA), says, “Almost any species can be adopted from a certified rescue [organization] rather than supporting the breeding of animals.”

 

4. Commit for the long haul
Does the word “commit” remind you of anything … marriage and kids, perhaps? It should! Incredibly, Fox says, “The number one reason animals wind up in shelters is because their guardians move.” If you’re considering adopting now, you need to be thinking 10 to 20 years ahead. And if you’re contemplating a lifestyle change that wouldn’t accommodate your spouse or children, such as joining an ashram or volunteering for the next mission to Mars, adoption should wait til' you get back. But that’s not to say you can’t …

 

5. Hone your animal instincts
There are lots of wonderful ways to get closer to animals, and to make a big difference in their lives. For starters, volunteer! Shelters can always use another compassionate heart and an extra pair of hands—those cages have to be cleaned every day, you know! Take a shelter dog for a walk once a week, or spend an hour grooming an abandoned cat. Foster a domestic animal in your home while it recovers from an injury or illness, or a wild orphan as it becomes weaned. Check your community for programs that match volunteers and animals with seniors in care homes or patients in hospitals. Ask your local shelters for their wish lists—they can include everything from towels and buckets to computers and incubators—and then round up friends, family, neighbours and co-workers and play Santa Claus!

 

6. Think outside the [litter] box
Give a gift in your loved one’s name. Many organizations offer foster or adoption kits that provide a certificate of recognition, information about the animal that was helped by your donation, and sometimes even a stuffed toy. Check out the Wildlife Rescue Association of BC; the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies; the African Wildlife Adoption Centre; the British Columbia Killer Whale Adoption Program; and others.

 

7. Save “wild” and “exotic” for the nightclubs
It’s illegal to keep wild animals as pets. Period. As for exotic domestics, Nathalie Karvonen, Executive Director of the Toronto Wildlife Centre, says their hotline regularly gets calls from individuals wondering where to take the turtles, iguanas and snakes they can no longer afford to feed or care for. “There are not enough homes for these animals,” Karvonen says, noting that shelters are almost always full.

On the flipside, Manky of the WRA recommends rescue shelters such as Greyhaven as sources for committed, knowledgeable guardians who wish to adopt a rescued exotic animal into a loving, long-term home. How long-term, you ask?

 

8. Do the research

If you’re considering an animal for your five-year-old, consider this: Parrots can live up to 80 years. Macaws, 60. Those tiny turtles in the plastic containers with the palm tree, 40 (and they get big). Iguanas, 25. Cats, 15-20. Dogs, 12-15. Hamsters, 2.

 

9. Do the math

The Ontario SPCA estimates an annual cost of $1,000 to $2,000 to care for your puppy or dog. Over 15 years, that’s as much as $30,000. For your kitten or cat, plan on $750-$1,500 a year, or as much as $30,000. Throw in a chronic health condition or emergency surgery, and you’re looking at closer to $40,000.

Remember, beyond the initial cost of adoption, you need to factor in food, litter, toys, grooming, housecleaning, medical insurance, vet bills (regular and emergency), care or boarding while you’re out of town … and transportation when you move!

 

If you’ve made it this far, here’s one final caveat …

 

10. Be prepared to fall in love

Our ability to bond across species is one of our greatest gifts, and the relationships we form with the animals we live with, learn from and love are some of the truest and most powerful we’ll ever know. Beyond the health and emotional benefits animal companions impart, they are capable of establishing lasting loyalties and connections and lighting our lives with the grace of unconditional love—both that which we receive from them, and that which they evoke in us. When all is said and done, it’s a decision of the heart, and one that will have your heart singing for many Christmases to come.