Experts warn that getting a family pet for Christmas is not always a good idea, and it’s one that should be approached with a large measure of careful consideration.

Are the kids old enough for the responsibility that comes with a pet? Will a new addition to the family at this busy time of year get the attention it needs? Are the long-term expenses able to be accommodated?

If, after careful consideration, you decide that a pet is the right thing for Santa to bring for the family this year, please consider this: Scores of animals are euthanized in Suffolk every year. Many of these cats and dogs would make wonderful companions, and many of them are far better suited to a home than pets sold by breeders or pet stores.

Mike Duman Auto Sales hopes to help folks connect loving homes with animals that might otherwise be put to sleep with its sixth annual “Homes for the Holidays” promotion, through which families that adopt pets from the Suffolk Animal Care Center can be reimbursed for $25 of the adoption fees.

After completing their pet adoption, families can bring proof of the adoption to the Suffolk dealership at 2300 Godwin Blvd., and they will receive a check for $25. The refund will end when 100 pets are adopted, or on Dec. 31, whichever comes first.

“There are so many wonderful, adoptable animals available through Suffolk Animal Care Center and Suffolk Humane through the cats and kittens at the Chesapeake Square and North Suffolk PetSmart stores, and we want to encourage everyone to add a new best friend right now,” Mike Duman, dealership owner and board member of Suffolk Humane, stated in a press release about the program last week.

So think carefully about the decision to get a pet for Christmas. And if you decide to get one, please consider adoption. Thanks to folks like Duman, the option is even more attractive than ever.