Save some Christmas goodwill for your pet

Sir — “A pet is for life, not just for Christmas,” is a phrase so often spouted, it has more or less become a regurgitated platitude. However, it is a phrase that still falls on deaf ears. Sure enough, once the Christmas hype has abated and the decorations are all boxed up, many new pets will be seen as overstaying their welcome as festive novelties and will be dumped and discarded like old dinner leftovers.

Because animal shelters can only accommodate so many surrendered animals, multitudes will be put down or become feral strays who will inevitably die young because of malnutrition, infection or road injuries.

The disposal of these lost, nameless nonentities is so ubiquitous that it has almost become normalised within our society as many people continue to view animals not as sentient living creatures but as commodities that might as well come with a receipt.

Consequently, because of such capriciousness and neglect, Ireland has an escalating animal overpopulation issue as there are evidently far too many multiplying strays and far too few homes. Thus, we as a nation need to offer a helping paw and raise more awareness about this abject crisis in the public sphere. Indeed, what we need is some sort of Bob Barker. Barker, a former host for the American game show The Price is Right, was also renowned for his signature closing line, “This is Bob Barker reminding you to help control the pet population — have your pets spayed or neutered”.

A prominent animal rights advocate, Barker would repeat this catchphrase on every episode, subliminally burning the message into viewers’ heads.

Alas, if only we had Irish TV personalities concluding their own shows with similar signoffs, (though it’s hard to imagine Winning Streak or The Late Late Show ever ending with a signature “Spay Today” or “Adopt Not Shop” tagline). But who knows, perhaps Teresa Mannion can someday issue another viral warning: “Don’t make any unnecessary journeys... to the animal shelter after Christmas.”

Ultimately, we need such messages highlighted because if Christmas truly is the season of giving, we as a society ought to aspire to give the animals among us the best chance of happier, healthier lives. Aoife Duffy, Dunleer, Co Louth