Christmas Puppy Advisory

Listen to Townsquare Tonight Here:

Thinking of placing a puppy under the Christmas Tree? Animal advocates are urging that you carefully consider where you acquire your new animal family member. On WOBM-AM's Townsquare Tonight, Author Lisa Begin-Kruysman of Brick urges families to avoid buying a puppy from a pet store.

"If you were to acquire a dog especially during the holiday times, I would stress that maybe people would look into adoptions or perhaps using a reputable breeder through recommendation," said Begin-Kruysman.

She calls New Jersey's new law tightening the rules on pet retailers a good first step.

"It's a Lemon Law, so to speak, so that when you do go into a shop to purchase a dog, the shop owner would have to disclose where that puppy came from," she explained.

Begin-Kruysman wrote about fostering dogs first, in her book "A Collar and a Dream: When we Fostered Furley", suggesting that it's a good way for individuals to experience first hand what it's like to care for a pet. She said she fostered three dogs before she adopted her animal family member Furley.

"That keeps a dog out of a shelter so it gives a spot to another dog. It also is a more natural setting for a dog and it's a good way for a family to see what kind of dog they might like. They may want to keep the dog they're fostering," she said.

Begin-Kruysman has written several books, including a biography about Will Judy, Founder of National Dog Week. Get more information about her books at www.lisabegin-kruysmanauthor.com