Ottawa Humane Society advising against 'surprise' pet-giving this Christmas

It's one of the busiest times of the year for the Ottawa Humane Society (OHS), with dozens of people stopping in to look for a furry friend to bring home.

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It's common this time of the year for an uptick in adoptions, according to OHS senior manager of marketing and communications, Stephen Smith, but he says to avoid surprising your loved one's with a new pet this holiday season.

"There's absolutely some concerns to that because you never want to surprise somebody with a new pet. Every time we make an adoption match, we make sure it's that perfect match between the person and the animal," Smith said.

Smith says they go through a thorough vetting process to make sure the homes are compatible with the pet's behaviours. He adds that each animal is different and getting them comfortable in new situations can sometimes be difficult.

"The last thing you want to do is impulsively get an animal and then find out a little ways down the road that they're not the right fit for you," Smith said.

"Our team is really great at helping you find the perfect match for you and your family, so make sure that everybody in the household is on board for the pet and understands too that it's a lifetime commitment that needs the support of everyone in the house."

"They are giving somebody a certain number of years of responsibility and as wonderful as it is to open a gift, and there's this really sweet animal, it can wear off when you realize that your schedule may change, that there's a lot more involved and expenses," said OHS adoption counsellor Alexandra Hewson.

With the increase in people through the doors, that means more animals coming in and more rooms opening. The Humane Society is a non-profit organization that relies heavily on donations for lifesaving care for stray animals or those with owners who can no longer care for them.

Smith says it has been hard receiving these donations because of the Canada Post strike.

"A number of our donors do choose to mail in their donations. We also have a few mail-out newsletters that go to our donors to ask for their support as well," Smith said.

"We saw a pause on those newsletters, and we also saw a pause in our donations coming through our donors who like to mail in their support."

With postal workers going back to work this week, he says they're starting to see those numbers climb again.

"We've actually had a few donations coming in just this past week that have been postmarked for a few weeks back. So, it is clear where we've seen that impact, and we're hoping to do a bit of catch up in the following weeks," Smith added.

"It costs about $34 a day per animal to shelter and care for them at the Humane Society. Donors really do make a tremendous difference, especially during the holidays when there are so many animals in need."

Smith says there are between 450 and 500 animals currently in their care, which includes animals in foster homes.