The decision to adopt a stuffed animal is a major, lifelong and life altering decision. These beings may be silent (or not if they have a mouth), but they need as much love and care as any being. Here are a few tips:

-Remove any tags that are attached to the ears, paws, feet. Anything attached that is not part of the stuffed animal, that punctures any appendage. This is very painful for the poor stuffy, but as they generally make no noise, most people have no idea of their pain.

-DO NOT remove the birthtag. The birthtag is usually cloth, sewn in as part of the stuffy, often found on their bum, near their tails. Removal of this tag is painful, and causes great distress.

-Although they often come with an extra piece of cloth, sewn into a loop, please do not hang your stuffy from anything. This pulls on the cloth strip and causes them pain. If you are concerned that somebody else in your household may hang your stuffy, it may be best to remove this cloth loop. This does not cause as much distress as removal of the birthtag.

-Keep your stuffies at a comfortable temperature. They can produce no body heat of their own, nor can they cool themselves via perspiration or panting, therefore they require your special attention in this matter.

-Keep your stuffy clean. Although most stuffies, like most pets and small children, hate baths, if your child has drooled or spilled on their stuffy, they will need a bath. Do not throw them in the washing machine or dryer, as this is simply horribly cruel. The water temperatures will either be too hot or too cold, and the dryer will be too hot. Both throw the stuffy around and can severely injure and disfigure them. Please wash them in a sink with gentle laundry detergent, like Woolite, and allow them to air dry, while keeping them warm. A hair dyer can be used.

-Play with your stuffy. Imagine how bored you would be if you had to sit in the same place all the time, unable to move or to pick anything up.