<p class="article-excerpt" style="margin: 0px 0px 15px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #777777; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #ffffff;">If you are considering giving a pet as a gift for the holidays, pump the brakes, say local animal experts and advocates.</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px 0px 15px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #777777; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #ffffff;">While the holidays would seem a sweet time to make a furry &mdash; or scaly &mdash; addition to the family, doing so requires knowledge, discipline and often money to look after a pet and keep it in good health.</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px 0px 15px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #777777; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #ffffff;">It takes a lot of attention, too, especially when the novelty wears off and a new normal settles into the home.</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px 0px 15px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #777777; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #ffffff;">Andrew Desjardins, also known as Drew and His Animals, Too, encourages education on a new pet, whether it be a labradoodle, Scottish Fold kitten, chinchilla or boa constrictor.</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px 0px 15px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #777777; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #ffffff;">January brings many animal surrenders that inundate shelters and rescuers. Most are due to impulse purchases in December, Desjardins said.</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px 0px 15px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #777777; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #ffffff;">Charles Montgomery stretches as he wakes from a nap Thursday at the Greater Androscoggin Humane Society in Lewiston. Russ DillinghamSun Journal</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px 0px 15px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #777777; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #ffffff;">&ldquo;Holidays are a very impulsive time,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;We have well over animals at any given time. That is over homes prior to me. That does not include the animals that were in my care for all the years prior.&rdquo;</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px 0px 15px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #777777; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #ffffff;">Desjardins said the animals that come into his care &mdash; mostly exotic pets &mdash; are also a product of miseducation. People often learn the hard way that caring for certain animals is difficult, including expenses that are great and smells or messes not foreseen.</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px 0px 15px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #777777; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #ffffff;">&ldquo;We can blame a pet store only so much if you don&rsquo;t you don&rsquo;t take the time yourself to learn,&rdquo; Desjardins said. &ldquo;You may be getting the animal for your child, but it is ultimately your responsibility as an adult.&rdquo;</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px 0px 15px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #777777; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #ffffff;">The animals Desjardins receives early in their lifespan are the &ldquo;lucky ones&rdquo; because their short time with a family gives them a chance for a quick rebound.</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px 0px 15px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #777777; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #ffffff;">The longer animals remain in the care of families, the easier it is for them to fall ill. Many veterinarians do not have experience with exotic pets, so there are only a couple courses of actions: Commute to a veterinarian that treats those animals, or surrender them to Drew or a shelter.</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px 0px 15px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #777777; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #ffffff;">&ldquo;And all expenses fall upon me,&rdquo; Desjardins said. &ldquo;All could be prevented if people resist impulse.&rdquo;</p>
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<p class="wp-caption-text" style="margin: 0px 0px 15px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #777777; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #ffffff;">Morgan Adams of the Greater Androscoggin Humane Society holds a kitten, Paul, on Thursday afternoon before putting him into a pet carrier after being adopted. Russ DillinghamSun Journal</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px 0px 15px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #777777; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #ffffff;">Katie Lisnik, executive director of the Greater Androscoggin Humane Society, or GAHS, in Lewiston, said there is nothing like unwrapping a cuddly creature Christmas morning, but it is highly discouraged in come cases.</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px 0px 15px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #777777; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #ffffff;">The number of January surrenders for GAHS is not much greater in January than in other months, but some of the animals that do come to the shelter at or beyond the new year are returns, according to Lisnik. She said she supports adopting pets, of course, but do not make such decisions without much thought.</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px 0px 15px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #777777; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #ffffff;">Rather than discouraging people from buying a new pet for the holidays, Lisnik said GAHS likes to encourage people to make a festive gift out of that decision by bringing the family to the shelter. Members of the family can then meet the animals, talk about owner responsibilities and find a match that suits the entire family.</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px 0px 15px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #777777; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #ffffff;">&ldquo;Hey, if you&rsquo;ve got kids, surprise them by a visit. We&rsquo;re decorated, it&rsquo;s fun and exciting and you can have the whole family there,&rdquo; Lisnik said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s still an amazing surprise around the holiday and we highly encourage that.</p>
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<p class="wp-caption-text" style="margin: 0px 0px 15px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #777777; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #ffffff;">One of many dogs available for adoption Thursday at the Greater Androscoggin Humane Society in Lewiston. Russ DillinghamSun Journal</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px 0px 15px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #777777; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #ffffff;">&ldquo;Not every cat and not every dog are the same, and you really can&rsquo;t jolt or surprise someone with a new animal. You&rsquo;ve really got to have them and the animal meet, and that can be just as special, even though it&rsquo;s not something they&rsquo;re unwrapping under the tree.&rdquo;</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px 0px 15px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #777777; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #ffffff;">GAHS also does adoption fee vouchers for those who want to gift an animal, according to Lisnik. It is helpful in sparking the holiday cheer while promoting much-needed, face-to-face time with potential adoptions. That way, the kids have something to unwrap under the tree and know they are going to take a trip to the shelter later on to meet the animals.</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px 0px 15px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #777777; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #ffffff;">Desjardins said he holds tours of his education center for groups from a.m. to p.m. on Monday through Saturday. Admission is $.</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px 0px 15px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #777777; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #ffffff;">ors can observe &mdash; and sometimes hold &mdash; some of the animals and get a feel for what it will take to care for certain creatures. Desjardins is also responsive to those with questions about caring for their exotic pets.</p>
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<p style="margin: 0px 0px 15px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #777777; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #ffffff;">Said Desjardins: &ldquo;I tell adults: &lsquo;Take your child&rsquo;s age and add at least years or more: That is an average pet&rsquo;s lifespan. So, if your child is years old, the pet may still be around when your child is . What will be happening in your child&rsquo;s life between the ages of to ? A lot. Who is taking care of that animal? Not them, but you. &rdquo;</p>
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