The holidays are busy for many people, but this time of year can also be hard for animals, especially ones that are newly joining a family.

“It’s stressful for a new pet during the holidays,” said Shari Bibich, the manager at Whidbey Animals’ Improvement Foundation Coupeville shelter.

Bibich recommends adopting a pet now, before “the hustle and bustle of the holidays.”

One of the many pets at WAIF’s Coupeville shelter is Brody, an energetic pug mix.

Nicole Parra, an employee who has been with WAIF about two years, said she thinks Brody is mixed with terrier because of his wirier hair.

Brody likes to tug on his leash and jump up, though he doesn’t bark too much. He does, however, sneeze, which comes out as a snort because of his smushed-up face.

And while WAIF estimates him to be 2-4 years old, he looks older because of his white beard, Parra said.

Brody is “friendly and loving,” according to WAIF’s website. He came in as a stray and has been at the shelter for a little more than a month.

One of Brody’s neighbors is Eileen, a shy female Yorkie. She scampers up to the front of her large, caged room, licks a couple people’s hands, then quietly pitter-patters back out of sight.

Eileen came to the shelter with a bunch of other Yorkies whose owner could no longer care for them.

The tiny (12 pounds) adult dog “had some skin issues due to flea infestation and a resulting untreated flea allergy,” WAIF’s website says. “The fleas have been taken care of and her coat is beginning to fill in.”

Eileen is a good example of the type of pet that shouldn’t be adopted during the holidays. She’s shy around people and needs a quieter home.

Eileen was adopted into a nice home Thursday, Nov. 20.

Elyse Flack, who has been working at the Coupeville shelter since February 2014 and has a “pack” of her own at home, said it’s not good to travel with new dogs, which many people might do over the holidays.

Flack agrees with Bibich and Parra that now, before the holiday season really gets going in late December and early January, would be a better time to adopt.

Bibich also said that many holiday decorations are not good for pets. She said that holly, poinsettias, Christmas-tree water and ribbon can be unhealthy for animals.

Another reason to adopt right now is because the month of November is Adopt a Senior Month.

Through Nov. 30, all senior animals are $45. The adoption fee for cats is normally $65 and $80 for dogs.

According to WAIF’s website, the foundation establishes a senior at 8 years of age, which is, many times, just the midpoint of an animal’s life.

And WAIF waives the adoption fee for senior humans (people 62 and older) adopting senior pets all year as part of their Senior 4 Senior program.

In the front office of the shelter, there’s a big display on the wall with pictures of senior pets who have been adopted or are waiting to be adopted.

Humphrey, who was adopted right after press deadline, is a 10-year-old Shih-tzu mix.

Humphrey likes to go for walks on a leash, and he doesn’t jump around too much, but he is playful and sweet. The small Shih-tzu (just under 15 pounds) has been at the shelter since the summer. He will need medicine for his eyes and skin for the rest of his life.

But that doesn’t slow him down much.

“He’s been a really good boy ever since he got here,” Flack said.

He even playfully chases cats.

One of the senior cats at the Coupeville shelter is Sandy, a 12-year-old male cat.

He came to the shelter this summer after his owner passed away. Sandy is a tabby, striped cat. He likes to sit with shelter staff and be petted.

Another senior cat that shelter staff recommends is Joey, a dark-gray male who has been at the shelter since May.

Joey was surrendered after his owner became homeless. According to the WAIF website, Joey will probably do best in a quieter home without children.

One of the more playful cats is Kettle, who is in her second stint at the shelter.

After being adopted once, she was found again on Kettles trails in an emaciated state, weighing only four pounds.

She’s doing well now, though, and enjoys rolling onto her back and showing people her creamy-gray belly.

All the pets at WAIF’s Coupeville shelter have gone through a thorough process to make sure that they are adoptable. Most of them are strays, but some are surrendered by owners who move or can no longer take care of them.

But instead of giving someone an adopted animal as a surprise holiday gift and trying to guess what kind of animal they would want, Bibich said it’s better to let someone choose his or her own pet.

“That’s a family member for the next 15 years,” Bibich said.

It’s no small decision.