FORSYTH COUNTY, N.C. — Many people scramble to find gifts when the holidays come around, and sometimes animals are considered the "purr"fect surprise.
- Pets are a popular gift at Christmas, but officials say you need to be ready for the commitment
- ASPCA recommends only giving pets as gifts to people who have already expressed or sustained interest in owning one
- Be sure the person you're giving the pet to has the ability to properly care for it
Chad Alridge is one of those people, and he spent over an hour waiting for the doors to open at the Forsyth Humane Society on Saturday.
"I was kind of nervous and anxious when i woke up so i wanted to get here early and make sure i was one of the first ones in line," Alridge said.
Chad already has three other dogs, but on Saturday, he was still first in a very long line of people wishing to adopt a dog he's had an eye on for quite a while. A Husky mix, named Wolf.
He's a huge dog lover, but Chad says this may not always be the case.
"This time of year you do get a little nervous about people giving dogs away as pets and then come February or March, maybe it's not as fun as it was at Christmas."
Those with the Forsyth Humane Society couldn't agree more.
Executive Director Sarah Williamson said, "A cat or a dog is just not a present or a toy to put under the tree. It is a life long commitment and we want to make sure that it's the right animal and the right time for you to adopt."
That is why the humane society goes out of their way to make sure they're sending these pets home with the right families.
They spend 45 minutes to an hour in an adoption counseling session, preparing pet parents for this commitment.
"We take all the time that you need to make sure that you have the benefit of our expertise," said Williamson. "Then we send you home, and you can always call us afterwards to if something isn't working quite the way you thought it would."
The ASPCA recommends only giving pets as gifts to people who have already expressed or sustained interest in owning one and have the ability to care for it.
Chad says it's a blessing to adopt a pet.
"These dogs need good homes and people who will love them."
For more information on adoptions, visit the Forsyth County Humane Society website.