Rebecca Zisch, a cat behaviorist, pets Rusty, a 13-year-old Maine Coon Cat, at Lisa Young’s home in Henderson Monday, Aug. 22, 2017. Molly, an eight -year-old dilute calico, is shown in the foreground. Zisch was brought in to help when the cats were not getting along, Young said. While pets are great when adopted properly, giving one as a surprise gift can be a disaster, the Nevada SPCA reminds prospective owners.
Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023 | 2 a.m.
If you’ve ever had a fantasy about waking up to a puppy or kitten under the Christmas tree, Lori Heeren with Nevada SPCA wants you to know it’s just that — a fantasy.
“People need to look down the road and understand the commitment and the responsibility of that animal,” says Heeren, the group’s executive director. “Especially a young animal. I mean, for any animal for any adoption, we recommend that you consider having that pet for its entire lifespan. So, if you’re going to adopt a kitten, plan on having that cat for 15 years. And think about where you’ll be in 15 years.”
Heeren says if you’re a parent giving a pet to your child, you should expect to take care of the pet yourself.
She also warns against making a pet gift a surprise. It’s best to make sure you and the recipient are on the same page about whether the pet is wanted.
“I tell people that I believe that puppies are harder than babies, and I’ve had both,” she said.
Heeren recommends placing the new pets in a stress-free location within the home to aid in the introduction to their new environment. She also suggests providing them enough water and determining the appropriate type and amount of food.
Nevada SPCA offers a pet food pantry, as well as a community support desk with resources such as affordable veterinary assistance and pet owner education. Both services can be accessed at 5375 S. Procyon St. in Las Vegas.
During the holidays, Heeren says, they are also asking more questions than usual in the adoption counseling sessions. There’s also a handful of owners surrendering their pets this month because of rising prices of pet care, or people not wanting to pay for bordering service while they travel for the holidays.
Dr. Jennifer Miller, a veterinary technical marketer for Elanco, an animal health pharmaceutical company, said the group’s research shows 24% of new pet owners haven’t researched how to care for the pet.
And one of the mistakes these owners make is bringing the animal to social settings to show it off or have it interact with other pets, which could lead to the spread of infectious diseases, Miller said.
She says Las Vegas veterinary clinics are reporting an increase of canine parvovirus cases in the area. The highly contagious viral disease causes gastrointestinal illness in puppies and is able to thrive in the environment for roughly a year, Miller said.
“It’s this really hardy virus,” she said. “Puppies kind of get it because they just walk through an area that’s contaminated with parvo. And then they do this normal grooming behavior where they lick their paws.”
There’s a list of vaccines a puppy must receive in its first 16 weeks of age, including for parvovirus. New owners should immediately schedule a visit with a veterinarian.
