Back in December, Dogs Trust pleaded with the public to ‘paws for thought’ before they adopted a dog. Every year the charity is faced with a wave of phone calls from the public who want to return the dogs they gave their children as Christmas gifts.
Today, they confirmed that they have received 186 calls from people wanting to give back a dog.
This is a 22 percent jump compared to last year, which is extremely disappointing following their powerful campaign.
Suzie Carley, who is the executive director of the animal welfare charity shared, “We are saddened to see an increase in the number of dogs and puppies being surrendered or abandoned after Christmas again this year.”
Sadly, we have seen a spike in people looking to surrender a dog in the three weeks following Christmas. An alarming 186 calls were recorded by us from people trying to relinquish their dog: https://t.co/sQNcP48aPU
— Dogs Trust Ireland (@DogsTrust_IE) January 31, 2018
“It is disappointing to see that this message is still falling on deaf ears for many as the number of surrender requests continues to rise,” she expressed.
The charity has begged the public to remember the phrase, 'A dog is for life, not just for Christmas'.
Adopting a pet is a major full-time responsibility. We understand that waking up on Christmas Day with a cute little puppy under the Christmas tree may seem like a dream, but people need to open their eyes and see the realities that come with adopting a dog.
Parents should think a lot before bringing a fluffy friend into their family.
Head of operations at Dogs Trust, Catriona Birt shared that abandoning dogs is an upsetting and heartless act.
She spoke about PJ the Jack Russell who is one of many dogs who has been left at the centre, “The distressed dog watched from the car park as a man dropped his lead and drove away. It is painfully upsetting to see PJ, a friendly young dog being discarded in such a heartless way.”
Little Bright is 12 weeks old and is looking for a home where he will be the only dog. He would be best suited to a home with children of 10 years of age or older. #AdoptDontShop https://t.co/P87vBDuzzA pic.twitter.com/gD3U0tsxx7
— Dogs Trust Ireland (@DogsTrust_IE) January 30, 2018
PJ’s story is devastating but sharing it will help remind the public that adopting or buying a dog is a serious choice. It’s not a decision that should be made lightly.
Remember, a dog is for life, not just for Christmas.
