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[Crossfire Bulldogs]

By Ben Pindar, Community Newswire

ANIMALS Christmas, Today, 10:56am

A leading animal charity was today urging people across the country to avoid giving pets as presents almost 30 years after first coining the phrase "a dog is for life, not just for Christmas".

In 1978 the chief executive of the Dogs Trust, Clarissa Baldwin, invented the famous slogan in response to the staggering number of dogs abandoned in the months following Christmas each year.

However, the dedicated animal lover had no idea the catchphrase would still hold true nearly 30 years later as the charity once again launched a new campaign to prevent animals becoming abandoned in the coming weeks.

It is estimated that every Christmas £1.2bn is spent on unwanted gifts, creating around three million tonnes of waste, and the Dogs Trust is urging people to make sure dogs aren't a part of this.

Despite decades of Dogs Trust campaigning against dogs being given as presents at Christmas time, each year hundreds of dogs and puppies are still presented as gifts.

Many dogs are subsequently abandoned when the novelty wears off and their owners realise just how much work and commitment is involved in caring for them.

The charity's latest Christmas campaign aims to raise awareness of the consequences of treating dogs as gifts or toys. Every year hundreds of thousands of children plead for the latest fad or top toy on the market, only to discard them a few weeks after Christmas when the novelty wears off.

The charity is asking everyone to support its Christmas message, and has produced a special "A Dog is For Life, Not Just for Christmas" car sticker, available by contacting the Dogs Trust on 020 7837 0006.

The campaign is being backed by a host of celebrity dog-lovers who have jumped at the chance to lend their support to the Dogs Trust.

TV presenter Dermot O'Leary said: "I would never, ever, think of buying a dog as a present at Christmas. I have supported Dogs Trust for many years and find it really sad that hundreds of dogs are abandoned post-Christmas after the novelty factor wears off.

"Please don't buy a dog as a present unless you have really thought about what it will mean - for you, and for the dog."

Actor Anthony Head said: "You really need to think before getting a dog. Not only that but reputable breeders won't sell dogs in the run up to Christmas. Those that do will probably be selling dogs that have come from puppy farms and because of this they will be disadvantaged and it is likely they will have health and behaviour problems.

"Please don't let this year's Christmas present become a new year's resolution that will break your child's heart."

TV presenter Paul O'Grady added: "Having a dog is a big commitment and a lot of work so you need to think very seriously before getting one - but if you give them loads of love and care they will be loyal and loving just like my Buster, Louis and Olga.

"Just remember, a dog is for life, not just for Christmas."

Other celebrity supporters of the campaign include fashion designer Bruce Oldfield, model and actress Lisa B, actress Joanna Taylor and TV presenter Wendy Turner-Webster.

The Dogs Trust is the UK's largest dog welfare charity. It cares for over 12,500 dogs every year and has 15 Dogs Trust rehoming centres across the UK, with two new centres opening in 2006 in West London and Glasgow.

The charity's annual Stray Dog survey revealed that over 100,000 dogs were found stray, abandoned or unwanted last year, and almost 8,000 dogs were destroyed by local authorities simply because homes could not be found for them.

Staff at the Dogs Trust are working towards the day when all dogs can enjoy a happy life, free from the threat of unnecessary destruction. For more information visit the charity's website at www.dogstrust.org.uk

[PawNclaws]

I still cant grasp how many dogs and puppies (Not to mention hamsers, rabbits, and kittens) are given as gifts. Right now our NewsPaper is chalk full puppies for sale that say "great Christmas Gift" not as many kittens but there are about 5 ads that have kittens "great X-mas gifts". I feel sorry for them- many become homless - abandond by their "owners" or dumped in shelters. Its just very sad, I wish some people would take a step back and relize what their doing when they breed puppies for christmas- it has some horrible effects.

[Ritz459]

Well, I'm guilty of giving a pet for Christmas. My sister is getting a Hamster this year as her "Santa gift". But have no fear - if the newness wears off for my sister, I'm taking him. Then my room really will be full of rodents...a Ferret, a bird, a G. Pig, two dwarf Hamsters, and then this fuzzy rodent. lol

[TinyAlbinoDancer]

But Ritz (and this comment is too late, but I'd like to make it anyway because it's applicable), what do you think that teaches your sister? To me that says that pets are gifts, just like toys, and just like toys you're allowed to pawn them off to someone else when you get bored. You essentially just said that yourself. Not something I'd want to teach any child.

I've given my sister a betta fish as a Christmas gift (and total surprise) a couple years ago, with the same stipulation. We shared a room at the time, so I had even more control over the caretaking of the fish. The difference was my sister was 15 years old. Well beyond developing any wrong notions about the importance of pet's well-being. I think it's even more important as an older sister to set the example (and nag them to death about how to take care of their pets, if it comes down to it You should hear me now! lol). Just something to think about this time, and for future reference.

[Ritz459]

Oh don't worry, I do nag her to death about him. lol Even with the fish she has in her room I nag her to death about. I think I've hammered into her head and into her twin brothers head about why you get an animal and that you have to be prepared to do everything for it.
JeanAnne is watching a Rabbit over Christmas break (it is their class pet) and she was complaining about why she had to watch it. "I asked if I could, but why did she have to pick me?"
I told her that when she asked too, she had to be prepared to watch it and that just didn't mean petting it and holding it, that ment feeding it, watering it, and cleaning its cage. I think she got the point.
And if not, I'll just hammer it into her head again. If she even thinks about "pawing it off" I'll go after her like a pack of wolves and nag her to death about it and show her what that does.
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I remember seeing a comercial a long time ago that talked about giving pets as gifts. It showed a boy at his birthday party and he got a puppy as one of his presents. He and his friends played with it for a while, but then they left it alone. The next clip it showed was a shelter worker locking it up in a cage and the dad and boy walking away while the puppy cried.
Saddest comercial in the world, but it got the point across.

[Tiffany0204]

Apparantly lots of "Puggles" were given as Christmas Gifts. I keep reading about them while browsing my xanga.


Sigh.

[brandysmama]

My SIL gave my (at the time) four-year-old niece a dachshund puppy as a Christmas gift in 2001. I was a bit leery of how the puppy was presented, but luckily it's worked out. She's still a spoiled-rotten part of their family. I think my SIL realized that it wasn't just a gift for her daughter; it was a new member of the family that everyone needed to take care of. With that mindset, there hasn't been a problem.

[Ritz459]

Originally Posted by Tiffany0204

Apparantly lots of "Puggles" were given as Christmas Gifts. I keep reading about them while browsing my xanga.


Sigh.

Ya, and already the shelters around here are being flooded with them... I love the Pug/Beagle mixes and I'd adopt one in a flash, but I'd never ever buy one.
Not to get totally off subject, but I find it funny when somebody says, "I have a Puggle! It is a wonderful breed. It is a Pug/Beagle mix."
It can't be a breed and a mix at the same time people! lol
And it isn't a "Puggle"...it is a mutt. I think if I ever meet somebody who thinks their precious "poo", "doodle" or "uggle" is so high an mighty, I'll just say, "Cool, so you have a mongrel! I have mutts too!" I hope that'd push their button.