Palm Valley Animal Society says with Christmas coming up, many people are looking to add a new member to the family.

"Puppies and kittens and dogs and cats are great to get anytime of the year, it's especially fun to get them at Christmas,” said PVAS Executive Director Donna Casamento. “But you need to be prepared."

Casamento says the holidays are a great time for adoptions, and contrary to popular belief, not many are given back.

"When you think about it, and you think of that time when you were a child and you got that little puppy or kitten and what a wonderful loving memory that was growing up,” Casmento said. “People don't typically give those memories away."

But on occasion it does happen. This is why people should consider everything before they adopt.

"You want to make sure that the house is set up," Casamento said. "Christmas is a hectic time in a lot of households and we want to make sure that there's a nice quiet place for incoming pets to be able to get away from the festivities of the day."

If you're considering adding a new friend to your home or to someone else's, you may want to talk about it first.

"If you're getting a gift for your grandma and grandpa, getting a gift for your grandchildren, check with mom and dad first and make sure that they're ready for that pet," Casamento said. 

People must also consider what will need to be done to keep a puppy or kitten healthy once they're home.

"Every animal needs to have regular vet check ups, they need to be vaccinated every year, make sure that they are getting good healthy food and have a nice safe dry place to live."