Not just for Christmas... yet 370 look to offload dogs

IT’S 40 years since the phrase ‘a dog is for life, not just for Christmas’ – but it seems the message is still not getting through to many Irish owners.

Dogs Trust has revealed its Dublin-based centre received 370 requests from people looking to surrender their dog between St Stephen’s Day and the end of January.

Those figures equate to ten calls a day to the Finglas re-homing branch from December 26 last year right up to the end of last month, as well as a further 53 emails,

The most common excuse pet owners give for seeking to hand in their dogs is they don’t have the time to look after them.

The animal charity described the number of post-Christmas requests to relinquish unwanted pooches from members of the Irish public as ‘alarming’. And chiefs at the rehoming centre, which is already full to capacity, spoke of their dismay that so many members of the public still buy pets on a whim, and are prepared to discard them once the novelty wears off.

Dogs Trust executive director Suzie Carley said: ‘It is extremely worrying to see an increase in the number of dogs and puppies being surrendered or abandoned after Christmas. We have just marked the 40th anniversary of the phrase “A dog is for life, not just for Christmas”, and sadly this message is as relevant today as when it was first coined by Dogs Trust all those years ago.’

She also encouraged first-time dog owners to consider adopting a pet instead, while urging those who had decided to purchase a pet to ensure they buy from a reputable breeder rather than a puppy farm.