Animals Are Not Gifts — They Are Lifelong Commitments
Cherokee Flats | Responsible Animal Ownership Policy
At Cherokee Flats, we firmly believe that animals are living, breathing beings deserving of love, respect, proper care, and lifelong commitment. They are not toys, novelty items, surprise presents, or temporary sources of entertainment.
While the idea of surprising someone with an adorable rabbit, guinea pig, or fancy rat may seem thoughtful, the reality is that bringing an animal into a home requires careful planning, financial responsibility, education, and a genuine willingness to meet that animal's needs throughout its lifetime.
Our Position on Animals as Gifts
Cherokee Flats does not support purchasing animals as surprise gifts for birthdays, Christmas, Easter, Valentine's Day, or any other holiday or special occasion.
Animals should never be purchased simply because a child wants one, because they are cute, or because someone believes they would make a memorable present.
Every animal deserves a home where its arrival has been thoughtfully planned and where its care will remain a priority long after the excitement of the occasion has passed.
🐾 Children & Pet Ownership
We believe children can benefit tremendously from learning about animals, responsible care, compassion, and respect for living creatures.
However, animals should never be purchased with the expectation that a child will be solely responsible for their care.
Parents and legal guardians must understand that they are ultimately responsible for the animal's housing, feeding, veterinary care, daily maintenance, and overall well-being.
An animal's needs do not disappear when a child loses interest, becomes busy with school, or moves on to another activity.
Additionally, Cherokee Flats does not place pet-only animals in households with children under six years of age, in accordance with our established sales policies.
🎄 Christmas & Holiday Closure — Entire Month of December
As part of our commitment to responsible animal placement, Cherokee Flats is closed to animal sales and pickups throughout the entire month of December.
This policy was established specifically to discourage impulse purchases and prevent our animals from being purchased as Christmas gifts.
While we recognize that many families have wonderful intentions, the holiday season can introduce additional stress, unfamiliar environments, travel, noise, and disruptions to routines that may negatively affect an animal adjusting to a new home.
Our animals' welfare will always take priority over holiday demand or potential sales.
🐣 Easter Closure — Two Weeks Before & Two Weeks After Easter
In addition to our December closure, Cherokee Flats is closed to animal sales and pickups for two weeks before Easter Sunday and two weeks after Easter Sunday.
This policy is especially important because rabbits are frequently purchased as Easter gifts, often without adequate consideration of their long-term care requirements.
Unfortunately, many rabbits purchased around Easter are later surrendered, rehomed, abandoned, or neglected once the novelty wears off.
Rabbits are intelligent, sensitive animals that require appropriate housing, species-specific nutrition, enrichment, regular veterinary care, and daily attention. They are not low-maintenance starter pets or temporary holiday decorations.
Although rabbits are most commonly associated with Easter, our seasonal closure applies to all animals raised at Cherokee Flats, including rabbits, cavies (guinea pigs), and fancy rats.
Our Easter closure is intended to:
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Discourage impulse purchases associated with Easter celebrations.
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Prevent animals from being purchased as holiday surprises or gifts.
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Encourage prospective owners to research animal care and make informed decisions.
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Reduce the likelihood of animals being surrendered, neglected, or abandoned after the holiday.
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Protect the welfare of the animals raised through our breeding programs.
We understand that some prospective owners may be disappointed by these restrictions. However, we firmly believe that responsible placement is more important than making a sale.
❤️ A Commitment That Lasts Beyond the Occasion
Rabbits, guinea pigs, and fancy rats each have unique nutritional, housing, social, enrichment, and veterinary requirements.
Depending on the species, an animal may require several years or even a decade or more of dedicated care.
Before welcoming any animal into your home, we encourage you to carefully consider whether you have the time, resources, appropriate environment, and long-term commitment necessary to provide a safe, healthy, and fulfilling life.
If you are considering an animal for your family, we encourage you to involve all responsible household members in the decision-making process, research the species thoroughly, and prepare before bringing your new companion home.
📅 Cherokee Flats Seasonal Sales & Pickup Closures
For the protection of our animals, the following closures are strictly enforced:
HolidayClosure Period🎄 ChristmasDecember 1–31 annually🐣 Easter14 days before Easter Sunday through 14 days after Easter Sunday
During these periods, animal sales and pickups are suspended. No exceptions will be made for holiday-related purchases.
We encourage prospective owners to plan accordingly and understand that our seasonal closures are part of our commitment to ethical, responsible animal placement.
🌿 Our Promise to Our Animals
At Cherokee Flats, responsible breeding does not end when an animal leaves our care.
We take pride in educating prospective owners, maintaining responsible placement policies, and advocating for the lifelong welfare of the animals we raise.
We reserve the right to decline any placement that we believe is not in the animal's best interest.
Our policies are not intended to discourage responsible pet ownership. They exist to protect the animals we have dedicated our time, resources, and hearts to raising.
An animal should be a welcomed family member, never an impulse purchase or disposable gift.
Thank you for respecting our policies and helping us promote responsible animal ownership.