DOGS Trust Harefield is bracing itself for the post-Christmas influx of unwanted dogs and is urging people to remember the charity’s iconic slogan ‘A dog is for life, not just for Christmas’.

It follows a year of bizarre reasons offered by people giving up their dog.

The rehoming centre received 13 calls a day from people looking to give up their dogs in the month following last Christmas. Reasons included:

  • I won a free holiday and I couldn’t take my dogs with me
  • I’m a vegetarian but he always wanted to eat meat
  • I got him as a secret Santa present
  • She was too friendly and wanted to greet everyone we met on a walk
  • He was panting too much
  • He didn’t like it when we played dress up
  • She sleeps in her own bed all night – I thought she would want to sleep in my bed

To bring the message home, the charity has created a video called Why I Left You with a twist, which highlights the carefree attitude which people sadly display towards dog ownership.

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The charity’s slogan has proved as meaningful today as it was when first coined nearly 40 years ago.

A new survey reveals almost 15% of dog owners in London spend less than two weeks researching before buying a dog and 12% confessed to buying a dog simply because it was a cute accessory.

The survey also revealed that 26% of people admit to buying or receiving a dog as a Christmas gift.

The dog-owning public also significantly underestimated the financial cost of dog ownership, with 75% believing their dog will cost them less than the actual cost of £10,000 during its lifetime.

Richard Moore, Rehoming Centre Manager at Dogs Trust Harefield, explains: “In the weeks following Christmas last year we received 457 calls from owners wanting to give up their dog.

“That is so sad as dogs deserve to be treated as a member of the family. They aren’t disposable commodities; they are a huge commitment and should be for life.”

“Dogs Trust take in thousands of much-loved dogs from heart-broken owners who sadly find themselves unable to continue to care for their dogs due to unavoidable changes in their circumstances.

“So, it’s particularly hard for staff when they see the other end of the spectrum: dogs handed in simply because their owner’s bought them on a whim and consider them little more than toys to be discarded when the novelty wears off.”

To find out more about what to consider when getting a dog as well as the work of Dogs Trust, visit: www.dogstrust.org.uk/Christmas2017