Returning adopted pets

On holidays, people often buy or adopt pets for their loved ones. Unfortunately, there are times the recipients aren’t so grateful and don’t want the gift.

It’s something the Pocatello Animal Shelter sees every year, mostly around Christmas. While you might think it would be popular around Valentine’s Day, director of Pocatello Animal Services, Danielle Garcia, said it’s quite rare.

“For this time of year, we’re generally pretty slow. One of the main reasons is because it’s not kitten season,” Garcia said. “People want kittens and puppies and that’s usually in the summertime.”

Garcia said it’s not that these pet returns never happen during the period around Valentine’s Day, just that it’s to a much lesser extent than is seen around the Christmas holiday.

If you do happen to adopt a pet from Pocatello Animal Services, it is recommended that you give the pet two weeks before making a decision about returning it. If you bring the animal back during that period you have the option of exchanging it.

The shelter no longer does refunds, and if you bring the animal back after the two week “trial period” there is a $20 surrender fee.

Garcia recommends that people get a gift certificate instead of just adopting an animal because it’s something that the whole family must be onboard with.

“Let the person you’re getting it for come in and pick out the pet themselves,” she said.