Whose heart doesn’t melt at the sight of a puppy wearing a big red bow for Christmas?

A pet for the holidays, though, might not be a good idea.

A number of experts from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) to the “dog whisper” Cesar Millan advise against it because, unlike other gifts that don’t fit, a dog or cat cannot be returned.

But if you must, here are a few things to consider.

An animal is a big commitment.

“This is something you’re going to have to feed and clean up after for the next 15 to 30 years, Merry Christmas,” said Kayson Cooper, executive director and co-founder of the Gray Muzzle Society, a senior pet rescue in the Denver region.

The average lifespan for a large breed dog is eight to 12 years. A cat is roughly a 20-year obligation. And a parrot?

Better think about putting Tweety in your will. Depending on the species, a parrot can live up to 60-to-80 years.

Cooper said people don’t often think beyond the initial purchase to when the child goes off to college. Or when a couple divorces or has children. Or when the pet’s owner can no longer live on their own and moved into a nursing home.

“Right now shelters are experiencing the ramifications of people making impulsive decision,” Cooper said.

The biggest recommendation — the experts the Denver Gazette spoke to — requires homework.

Doing your research should include thinking about a pet budget, which in addition to the monthly food expense, include: grooming, veterinarian care and an emergency fund to cover unexpected medical costs.

Don’t know where to start?

An 18-question survey by Bow Wow Meow  www.selectadogbreed.com)could help.

With questions like how much time do you have to spend with your dog, the size of your property, if you have young children, barking tolerance and whether the pooch will be an inside or outside pet, the questionnaire — or others like it — can pinpoint what breed might be best suited to you.

Top 10 results are delivered via email within 15 minutes.

And www.petfinder.com will help “find your new best friend.” Petfinder’s search options allows you to pick breed, age, gender, behavior (whether house trained or special needs) and shelter, among other choices.

“I strongly support breed education,” said Amber Nelson, owner of Life is Rough Dog Training in Denver.

“The biggest thing is that people need to do their research,” Nelson said.

Breed education isn’t about vilifying a particular breed.

Pit bulls, Nelson and others said, get all the bad press.

Take the pit bull that killed an 89-year-old Golden woman in September who saved her 12-year-old grandson’s life by getting between him and the family’s dogs. The dogs’ owners are facing criminal charges.

“Every breed comes from a purpose, what they were bred to do,” Cooper said.

Get a herding dog, for example, and don’t be surprised when it herds your children.

“If you don’t channel them other places they’ll channel it themselves,” Cooper said.

Still unsure?

Cooper and Nelson suggest fostering before adopting.

Erin Wyse, behavior and transfer coordinator for the Denver Animal Shelter, advises against making the gift of a pet a surprise. Instead buy a leash or cat toy and pick out the pet together.

“People need to make sure to get a pet that’s adaptable their life,” Nelson said.

Whose heart doesn’t melt at the sight of a puppy wearing a big red bow for Christmas?

A pet for the holidays, though, might not be a good idea.

A number of experts from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) to the “dog whisper” Cesar Millan advise against it because, unlike other gifts that don’t fit, a dog or cat cannot be returned.

But if you must, here are a few things to consider.

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An animal is a big commitment.

“This is something you’re going to have to feed and clean up after for the next 15 to 30 years, Merry Christmas,” said Kayson Cooper, executive director and co-founder of the Gray Muzzle Society, a senior pet rescue in the Denver region.

The average lifespan for a large breed dog is eight to 12 years. A cat is roughly a 20-year obligation. And a parrot?

Better think about putting Tweety in your will. Depending on the species, a parrot can live up to 60-to-80 years.

Cooper said people don’t often think beyond the initial purchase to when the child goes off to college. Or when a couple divorces or has children. Or when the pet’s owner can no longer live on their own and moved into a nursing home.

“Right now shelters are experiencing the ramifications of people making impulsive decision,” Cooper said.

The biggest recommendation — the experts the Denver Gazette spoke to — requires homework.

Doing your research should include thinking about a pet budget, which in addition to the monthly food expense, include: grooming, veterinarian care and an emergency fund to cover unexpected medical costs.

Don’t know where to start?

Colorado parrot rescue, sanctuary home to more than 300 birds

An 18-question survey by Bow Wow Meow  www.selectadogbreed.com)could help.

With questions like how much time do you have to spend with your dog, the size of your property, if you have young children, barking tolerance and whether the pooch will be an inside or outside pet, the questionnaire — or others like it — can pinpoint what breed might be best suited to you.

Top 10 results are delivered via email within 15 minutes.

And www.petfinder.com will help “find your new best friend.” Petfinder’s search options allows you to pick breed, age, gender, behavior (whether house trained or special needs) and shelter, among other choices.

“I strongly support breed education,” said Amber Nelson, owner of Life is Rough Dog Training in Denver.

“The biggest thing is that people need to do their research,” Nelson said.

Breed education isn’t about vilifying a particular breed.

Pit bulls, Nelson and others said, get all the bad press.

Take the pit bull that killed an 89-year-old Golden woman in September who saved her 12-year-old grandson’s life by getting between him and the family’s dogs. The dogs’ owners are facing criminal charges.

“Every breed comes from a purpose, what they were bred to do,” Cooper said.

Get a herding dog, for example, and don’t be surprised when it herds your children.

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“If you don’t channel them other places they’ll channel it themselves,” Cooper said.

Still unsure?

Cooper and Nelson suggest fostering before adopting.

Erin Wyse, behavior and transfer coordinator for the Denver Animal Shelter, advises against making the gift of a pet a surprise. Instead buy a leash or cat toy and pick out the pet together.

“People need to make sure to get a pet that’s adaptable their life,” Nelson said.