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Holidays >
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Gift Ideas for Easter
Why You Shouldn’t Get Live Animals for Easter
Stuffed Ones are Just as Cute
Easter may seem like the perfect time to welcome a new pet into
your family. Bunnies and chicks are especially popular pets this
time of year and pet stores display them in the window and have
many on hand to give away to eager families. But you if you’re
considering buying a new pet to celebrate Easter with, you may want
to reconsider. There are many reasons for both the animals and the
people who will care for them that make buying pets not a very good
idea, especially for young children.
The first thing to remember is that by buying a cute pet such as
a bunny for Easter, you are taking on an added expense that will
last for approximately seven to twelve years. The expenses for a
pet include food, cage supplies, veterinary visits, and other
expenses that pertain to the pet. Also, although a pet bunny may
only cost approximately thirty dollars for the initial purchase
that is only the cost of the animal. You will also need a cage,
bedding, feeding and watering supplies, toys, grooming supplies,
and perhaps a book on rabbit care if you have never owned a rabbit
before and aren’t sure how to care for them.
Your youngster will no doubt be delighted to see a real live pet
as their Easter present on Easter morning. They will probably spend
the entire day caring for the pet and doting on its every need.
However after that, the novelty may wear off and they will no
longer be interested in the commitment that caring for a pet
involves. The pet’s care then falls on the shoulders of the
parents. For many busy parents, this is too much and they often end
up giving the pet away. Even if you think you’re providing a good
home for the pet by dropping it off at a local shelter, remember
that these shelters are already overcrowded with pets and they
don’t usually have room for more.
Or you could have the opposite problem and your child loves his
new bunny, chick, or duck so much that they spend the majority of
the time mauling them and playing with them quite roughly. This can
be very dangerous to small animals and put them at risk for a neck
or back break. Often children who mean well and only want to play
with their new pet end up hurting them or even causing death by
this rough play. Keep the animals safe by keeping them where they
belong, in the company of adults and professionals who know how to
care for them.
You also shouldn’t buy a live pet to keep your child safe.
Although they may clean and safe, the truth is that animals are
often dirty and carry diseases that are undetectable. At Easter
time, the chance of these animals being infected is greater because
they are shipped together in large quantity to pet stores due to
the large demand for Easter pets. Although the pet may not have
started out infected, they could have picked up an infection from
another animal that they were travelling with. Children often play
with these pets and before washing their hands, put their fingers
in their mouth, leading to infection. Often, these animals also
have sharp nails that can scratch a child and cause infection that
way.
Instead of buying your child a live pet, opt for a stuffed
bunny, chick, or duck instead. These cuddly creatures are very safe
and won’t spread infection to your child but can be cuddled and
swaddled as much as your child wants. These animals also don’t need
constant care so if the novelty wears off within a few days, the
most damage done is the money spent on a forgotten toy. Buying
stuffed animals rather than live ones is best for the animal and
the child both!
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