has been Dogs Trust’s slogan since 1978, as the charity campaigned to end the growing trend of buying dogs on impulse over the festive period – only to dump them in rescues, pounds or in the streets as the realities of dog ownership began to set in. Forty years on, this is sadly still happening.
Last year, Dogs Trust received 4,827 calls from people wanting to hand over their dogs in the month after Christmas. In a brand new advert launched on Black Friday, Dogs Trust explains once again that a present is not a dog, and a dog is not a present…
TV presenter Mel Giedroyc, who provided a voiceover for the ad, says, “It’s bonkers that people are still buying dogs as Christmas presents. I hope this ad helps people realise the craziness of giving a bouncing, playful, pooing puppy as a present. Getting a dog needs to be a much-pondered decision. They’re gorgeous and loveable but bloody hard work. Remember ‘A dog is for life, not just for Christmas®’!”
Adam Clowes, Operations Director, explains, “Every year – even on Christmas Day itself – we have dogs brought to us from people who have received them as presents and don’t want them. Once the initial Christmas sparkle has worn off and people realise the huge commitment it takes to own a dog, they come into our care.
“It’s heart-breaking for us to see when it could so easily have been prevented.”
“Dogs are a wonderful addition in the right circumstances, but before bringing one into our homes we all need to think whether they are right for our lifestyles and, whether we can give them a home for life. Christmas presents aren’t dogs, and dogs aren’t Christmas presents. It’s that simple!”