Want to Adopt a Puppy for Christmas? Here’s What You Need to Know

We've all pictured it. That perfect moment, tiptoeing down the stairs on Christmas morning to spot a wagging tail waiting for us under the tree. A puppy is one of the most wonderful and iconic Christmas gifts in the world—even more so than a red 10-speed bicycle, we dare say! It’s easy to get excited about adopting a dog to bring home to your family during the holidays, but before you get ahead of yourself, let’s talk about what adoption means to staff here at HSGN…and the dogs, for that matter!

 Adopt a dog: Niagara Falls and area rescue pets

At the HSGN, we find homes for over 2,000 rescue pets every year, many of which stay at our location at 160 Fourth Avenue, St. Catharines. The dogs, cats, rabbits, and other small animals in our care come from our own city as well as Thorold, Fort Erie, Grimsby, and Niagara-on-the-Lake. A dog that you adopt from us may have been picked up off the street by our own staff or volunteers, or someone from the neighbourhood. They also come from out of town, and as far away as the United States, Mexico, and Thailand thanks to our active networking with animal rescues in those countries.

We love all the animals in our care, and that’s why we’re always excited when somebody like you walks in and falls in love with one of them too. If you want to adopt a puppy, HSGN staff and volunteers here at the shelter are behind you 100 percent—so here are a couple of tips from all of us to help make your dream (and a special puppy’s dream) reality this Christmas.

• Talk to us ASAP! Last-minute adoptions during Christmastime are frowned upon because we must question whether they’ve been fully thought out. So let us know your plans sooner rather than later!

• Come in and meet the dogs and puppies at our shelter so you have enough time to find that special one (or two).

• Check our adoptions listings online, where you’ll see more dogs who are currently staying with foster carers. We’ll need to arrange meetings with those dogs, which could take a little extra time.

Before we put a dog on the adoption list, we check for a tag or microchip. If there is information about the owner or address of the dog, we try to contact its family. Many times, dogs found wandering are simply lost and need help getting back home! Other times, these dogs are genuinely homeless and uncared for, in which case we take them in (when there is room at the facility) or help them find space at a nearby shelter, or set them up with a dog fosterer.

Once in the care of the HSGN, dogs get all the medical care they need—including being spayed or neutered, vaccinated and treated for fleas, ticks and other parasites. Some dogs, due to improper socialization or neglect, are scared of people and other animals when they come into our care, which is why we have a Dog Socializing program to help them gain confidence and become adoptable. If you’re great with shy and troubled dogs, please consider being a part of the Dog Socializing program.

Once a dog is deemed adoptable, you’ll see its photo and profile listed on our adoption page and it is ready to go home with the right person! You can click on a profile photo to read more about any of the dogs you’re interested in adopting and come visit them at the shelter any day of the week. If they are in a foster home, you’ll need to let one of us know which dog you’d like to see, and we’ll arrange a meetup. If you have questions about one of the shelter dogs, ask our staff and volunteers—though we don’t always know the full story, sadly. We can let you know how each dog has behaved since joining the HSGN and advise you on whether they should be an only pet, or with or without kids.

To apply to adopt a puppy, you can click the “Adopt Me” button on the dog’s profile and fill out the relevant information. We will contact you to arrange a meeting and maybe a house check to make sure you have enough space for a dog and go from there! It’s important to us that each animal goes home with a trustworthy person, so be prepared to provide references, and introduce us to any existing pets. We appreciate it! 

Is it the right time to adopt a puppy?

HSGN has hundreds of puppies, kittens, and other homeless pets to care for this holiday season, but that doesn’t mean we’re going to pressure anyone into taking home a new dog. You may have noticed that many animal rescue centres don’t normally process adoptions during December—with the very notable exception of the Ontario SPCA & Humane Society’s iAdopt for the Holidays campaign. The reason is specifically to avoid having rehabilitated dogs, cats and other animals given as pets for Christmas!

If that sounds a bit counterproductive to you, let us explain. It’s just not a very good idea to give an animal as a gift, even if it’s to your own family. A new pet owner has to be both excited for their new pet and understanding of the daily care that pet will need for years to come. Without a lot of conversation, it’s impossible to know if someone is ready for a pet—which is why hundreds of holiday pets are ultimately returned to the shelter.

Each animal in our care represents hours spent on rescue, weeks of medical care, and weeks or months of socialization to help them become healthy and adoptable. Not to mention the hundreds of dollars spent on each potential pet! Our staff and volunteers put a lot of time and love into each shelter animal and only want them to be adopted by families who will do the same.

So, is it the right time to adopt a puppy? Yes! It is always the right time to adopt a puppy, as far as the puppy is concerned. Dogs crave socialization, family and structure, and do best when they feel safe, secure and cared for. As long as you understand the long-term commitment of raising a puppy and caring for a dog, we very much welcome your application to adopt one of our sweet pets. Read more about our adoption process here!

HSGN adoption fee

If you browse through our adoptable pet pages, you’ll be able to click on each photo to open up a larger profile. Inside that profile, you’ll see the adoption fee for each pet, which relates to the cost of its medical treatments and care within the Humane Society.

Small animals like rabbits and gerbils are adoptable for a fee of about $40, while puppies and dogs can be $500 to $600. Remember that these adoption fees pay the shelter back for all care given to your future dog and allow us to keep helping more! What’s more, your new dog or puppy will be spayed or neutered, vaccinated and as healthy as possible when you bring them home.

Pets deserve a good Christmas, too

We understand that spending Christmas day with your new pet makes the day extra special for both of you, and that’s why some pet rescue facilities are willing to allow adoptions throughout December and the entire holiday season. If you have pets already and the whole family is on board to adopt a new dog (or cat, or bunny), then please get in touch with us! Nothing makes us happier than seeing a needy homeless animal going home with a loving owner.

Of course, nobody knows how many of those pets get returned after the holidays quite like us, and that’s why, if you’re thinking about adopting a rescue puppy this Christmas, we might make you wait until after the New Year to bring your new friend home. We’ve found that this process can weed out potential owners who are just excited about the prospect of giving a puppy on Christmas day, instead of looking forward to the long-term ownership of a dog.

The whole family needs to be on board when adopting a pet, and not just swept up in the spirit of the season. That, said, attitudes have been changing recently, and some adoption centres are trying to embrace the flurry of interest in pets during the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons. Don’t be shy, come in and visit our puppies and other adoptable pets in person! We’re always happy to help potential adopters find the right pet, and vice versa. We’re familiar with the temperament and needs of each pet in the shelter, so if you’re looking for a couch companion or an active outdoorsy dog, let us know.

You can even take our dogs for walks to get to know each other and find out which canine is the right one for you and your family. Come to the shelter during visiting hours and we’ll set you up with somebody who needs walking—in fact, you can come and do that anytime, whether you end up adopting or not! If you find the perfect pet before Christmas time, we can talk about getting it home at the right time.

Remember, we prefer that all household members have been introduced to a pet and are excited about the idea of bringing it home before an adoption goes through! It can still be a surprise if you tell the kids you’re just helping out at the Humane Society.

A pet is for life, not just Christmas!

Of course, all of our wonderful animals deserve great homes and loving families, which is why if you are a good fit, we’d be happy for you to sign the adoption papers! Even then, during December, it’s normal to wait for the holidays to pass before we send any of our adopted pets to their new homes. This has become standard practice among most rescue centres, so as not to set a precedent of gifting pets that will ultimately not work out for so many animals. Don’t worry, we’ll keep them all happy and safe until it’s time to go home!

On that magical day—for you and your new dog—when it’s time to move in, make sure you’re properly prepared. Run through your day one puppy checklist!

Dogs need:

• age-appropriate food (talk to a veterinarian if you aren’t sure where to start)
• blankets
• food and water dishes
• a bed
• a collar (or harness) and leash
• toys
• basic grooming tools
• a kennel

If the new pet isn’t fully grown, or if they haven’t had a lot of house experience, you’ll have to start teaching them right away. Puppy training starts as soon as possible, starting with house manners!

You’ll also need to find a veterinarian, so that when your dog isn’t feeling well or it’s time for booster vaccinations, you know where to go. HSGN dogs and cats are spayed or neutered, vaccinated and treated for heartworms, fleas, ticks, and any illnesses they have upon entry; your new puppy, however, will need ongoing vaccinations up until the age of 1 or 2 at least. Also, if you’ve adopted a special needs pet, you’ll be advised of ongoing medical care and any appointments that need to be kept or made after adoption.

Which brings us to another important point—pets cost money on a regular basis. When you’re thinking about adopting, remember to factor in the cost of puppy care. You’ll need to buy food (preferably both dried and wet), toys, bedding, and cover emergency medical expenses from time to time. You may even want to think about signing up for pet insurance, which could help a lot if you have multiple pets, or if one of them develops a long-term illness.

Santa’s Little Helper Needs a Full-time Commitment

Christmas gifts can be very meaningful and sweet—but when you give a dog as a gift, you can’t be sure the recipient appreciates the long-term, 24/7 commitment it takes to be a good pet owner. Even the spirit of the holiday can convince families that a new furry member of the household is a great idea, when really, they don’t want that kind of year-long responsibility. We know this because of the many, many dogs and cats who have been adopted or gifted over Christmas and then sadly returned to the shelter or given away to someone else when the excitement wore off. It’s a heartbreaking situation that can confuse a dog and make them very sad—and us, too.

So, when you’re sure you’re ready, please come and find the right doggy to bring home with you! Whether that dog is a Christmas gift to yourself or not, the outcome should be the same: A happy dog and a happy owner who loves them until the end!