Every 6 minutes the canine charity ‘Dogs Trust’ receives a call from a family wanting to give up their dog.
Nearing the Festive season, it can be very tempting to make many impulsive purchases for your loved ones, or even yourself, and more often than not, one of these spur of the moment buys can include live animals, especially dogs. Sadly, the infamous slogan, ‘A dog is for life, not just for Christmas’ is just as relevant today as it was when it was first coined in 1978. It can be easy for people to rush into getting a dog without ample research and understanding the needs of caring for a pet. Whilst getting a dog can be a wonderfully rewarding addition to your family, they are a life-long commitment that come with responsibilities, and not just a present for Christmas.
Every year the Dogs Trust staff prepare for a severe influx of deserted dogs, when the desire of Santa ‘Paws’ wears thin. 100 puppies are expected to be dumped at Dogs Trust over this festive season. There have been numerous occasions on Christmas when puppies are simply left shivering in a box at the doorstep of the Dogs Trust. Thankfully, the charity is able to help support the dog after its’ hardship. When a dog arrives there, it is assessed and seen by a vet, before being vaccinated, neutered and microchipped and sent to one of 18 rehoming centres in Britain. After that, the goal is to find it a home. The average rescue dog spends just under six weeks at the Dogs Trust, which has spent £6m on neutering, microchipping and education programmes in the past decade or so.
CCTV of Puppy ‘Snoop’ abandoned at Roadside before Christmas.
Last year, Snoop, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier was abandoned just days before Christmas. The pup was dumped at the roadside in Stoke-on-Trent, and attempted to jump up at the owners car window, as the vehicle pulled away. The heart wrenching CCTV footage was later released by the RSPCA, and went viral within a matter of hours. As international outrage ensued, the charity was soon inundated with offers for re-homing, including the US Rapper Snoop-Dog himself. However, Snoop now has his forever home after the traumatic incident, in the rolling countryside of Herefordshire with new owner Laurence Squire, who said they “bonded instantly” upon meeting. Mr Squire informed that at first Snoop had suffered separation anxiety after his first abandonment but luckily, the pair were a good fit as Mr Squire works from home and has plenty of time to keep Snoop happy and stress-free, so he was ‘pup’ and running in no time!
Some of the many Dogs at Dogs Trust that need a forever-home.
Unfortunately, not all abandoned dogs get the same op-paw-tunity or attention as Snoop did. There are countless important cases similar to Snoops, with tens of thousands of dogs that need a home, not only at Christmas but all year round. So many of the dogs at Dogs Trust have had a ‘ruff’ time with past owners and could use your help! The message of ‘adopt don’t shop’ is particularly important at this time of year, when so many people decide to buy, instead of providing a home to a dog in the Dog Trust care.
Remember, a dog is for life not just for Christmas. And although it may be tempting to buy a cute newborn pup, if you’re looking for a dog that you’re ‘mutts’ about, Dogs Trust is the place for you.
If you want more in-fur-mation, or want to re-home a dog this Christmas, here’s the link: https://www.dogstrust.org.uk/
Or call: 0207 837 0006