https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/12/16/should-bay-area-residents-give-pets-as-holiday-presents/ > Debate rages at this time of year on whether it’s appropriate to give a pet as a holiday present. > For many years, experts said no. Getting a pet is a serious undertaking and shouldn’t be done on a whim. Giving a pet to a child could equate the animal, in the youngster’s mind, as just another object to be unwrapped, played with and then ignored in favor of brighter and shinier gifts.