Avoid ‘surprise’ pets as gifts this Christmas, Ottawa Humane Society says [Video]

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 …