Humane Society expects those cute puppy gifts to be in shelter in few months

You know that cute puppy or kitten that was sitting under your tree with a bow on its head on Christmas morning?

It will eventually grow up.

It’s usually around March or April that the Coulee Region Humane Society sees an uptick in surrenders at its shelter.

Taylor Bates, with the shelter, said too often people don’t think about that when they buy animals as gifts.

“The puppies aren’t cute or tiny anymore,” Bates said. “They’re getting into things or they’re barking a lot. We may see people bring them back to us. Just because they don’t know how to handle that phase.”

Bates says they try to be thorough in the adoption interview to make sure the animal is going to the right type of environment for their needs.

“We ask if they have time to walk them everyday,” Bates said. “How long will they be alone during the day?

“We try to see if there are kids in the home and what ages they are. We’re not going to send home a dog who has a problem with kids if you have several young children living with you.”

She suggests that if you want to adopt an animal, make sure everyone in the family shows up to the shelter to see how they all interact.

“If you came to the shelter alone and found an animal you really liked,” Bates said, “that doesn’t mean the animal is going to like your spouse or your kids. That’s why we don’t recommend adopting as a surprise or a gift.”