The Portage Animal Welfare Society's putting a freeze on their adoption process for the holidays.

Marketing Director Christine Dack says that doesn't mean you can't adopt a new best friend for Christmas. "From December 15th to January second we put a little freeze on, I don't like using that term, but you can still adopt animals," she says. "You fill out all the paperwork, the animal is still yours, we just don't let them go to a new home at this time because Christmas is stressful for pets. Especially in a new home, there's a lot going on, they can easily get stepped on, they can get forgotten about, and there are a lot of people over."

Dack says they've heard of animals being returned after the holidays and that's something they're trying to avoid.

"Pets are a Christmas thing, they get given as a gift -- and then after -- they don't really want them. So we find sometimes if we put a bit of a pause on things from December 15th to January second people think about it a little bit more thoroughly because it's not an actual Christmas present. There are plenty of animals available, you just can't take them home right away."

She adds a pet can make a great addition to the family around Christmas and they aren't trying to stop people from getting a pet, just helping them realize it's a big decision.