By Cynthia Grau/WJEZ News

For decades, many children are gifted new puppies or kitties for Christmas. There are better ways around incorporating a new pet into the family.

Karen Gregory with the Livingston County Humane Society explains a better way to adopt a new pet around the holidays.

“We have certainly gotten our share of flack this year about people wanting to give animals as gifts. We’ve tried to explain to them, when you taken an animal into your home and you have all kinds of people there. That poor animal just goes berserk. They need to go into a home as part of a commitment, be part of the family, before the holidays come. A gift is something you can return. An animal is something you should not,” Gregory said.

For more information, visit them at lchumanesociety.com.