NACOGDOCHES, TX (KTRE) -
An animal shelter
visit this time of year makes humans interpret the barks and meows as, "Please
take me home for Christmas."
"Our pay off is
finding homes for them and if it increases this time of year that's good.
That's good for us," Steven Barry, an animal control officer with Nacogdoches. "Good
for the animals because everybody here, we would love to find a home for
them."
As badly as the
shelter animals need a home there are restrictions. The new owner must be
present at time of adoption.
"If you're buying it
for a friend or someone else, not always because they may not always want one
or may not bond with it," Barry said.
There are those pet
owners who never question what's right for Fluffy or Fido. They are the Americans
who spent roughly a total of $53 billion dollars on their pets this year. The Christmas
gift trend this year is tacky Christmas sweaters for dogs.
And so, who is more
likely to receive a gift on Christmas morning, a dog or a cat? According to the
American Pets Products Association more than half of the dog owners in the
nation will be presenting a gift to Fido, whereas only 38 percent of the cat
owners will present a gift.
Shelter animals
aren't left out in Nacogdoches. Each animal receives a chew toy on Christmas Eve.
"They play, they
bump, they bang, they throw the toys up in the air," Jamie Shelton, the animal
services supervisor for Nacogdoches, said. "They have more fun Christmas Eve
probably than they do any other time of the year."
But a forever home
would make them even happier.
Copyright 2012 KTRE. All rights reserved.
