The Problem with “New Year, New Pet” Thinking
- Deniza Marcinkevica
- Jan 12
- 2 min read
By: Sheila Zapata, Social Media Intern, and Deniza Marcinkevica, Manager, Business Development, Skytails.com
For New Year's resolutions, many people opt for the classic gym and diet regimen, a new hobby commitment, or saving more money. Others decide to adopt a new pet; on the surface, this is a selfless and generous thing to do, as you are giving a lost animal a new and loving home to live its life. However, in reality, there are many difficulties associated with this choice.
With all the bustling of the New Year partying and excitement, it could cloud someone’s judgment on some of the decisions they make. It is an exciting thought to adopt a puppy or kitten because they're cute, but there is not much else people take into consideration. There is a long-term responsibility in taking care of a pet, and when the routine comes back, you will realize you might have made a mistake, as conflicts with your lifestyle and the pet's needs clash.
There are also a lot of financial areas that not everyone has, especially after the holidays. People spend the most money during Christmas and New Year's because of gifts for friends and family, and wanting to host parties during New Year's. Shops might not keep their sales after the holidays, so affording things such as food, beds, grooming, and vaccinations for the pet you adopted could be harder than expected. It could be an overwhelming time for you, and it could result in the pet not having the things they need.
This decision could also affect pet shelters. When people want to adopt pets for New Year's, it benefits shelters as they lose animals at a fast rate, but they gain them back at a very fast rate. When pets return to shelters, the staff need to accommodate them again, and in such a short amount of time, it can get overwhelming for the staff. This also affects the animal, as too much change in a short amount of time could be harmful for their mental health. Pets could develop unnecessary anxiety, stress, and a change in mood.
Conclusion
Overall, the thought of adopting a pet for New Year’s seems harmless, but it has underlying complications that can bring the wrong message to adopting a pet. Many people are blinded by the excitement of the new year that they do not think over their choices properly. It’s not obvious right away how much responsibility there needs to be taken to take care of a pet, and this results in the life you have to clash with the needs of the pet. There are a lot of financial responsibilities that not everyone is able to handle right away during the holidays, and shelters need to accommodate a large number of spaces for returning pets, which can become overwhelming to the staff, and the pets can develop anxiety and stress with the constant change.
SkyTails Connection
If you are having difficulties affording the things your pet needs after the holidays, SkyTails can give you an easier and more affordable way of taking care of your pets that benefits both you and them.
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