An Influx of 'Christmas Gift' Animals
A Companion Animal Care Article from All-Creatures.org

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FROM

Sharon Stone, In Defense of Animals (IDA)
January 2017

Bartlett is the first of many puppies and kittens who will be given up in the next few months when the “new” wears off. Please help us spread the word that puppies and kittens are living, breathing beings who need and deserve love and attention. They are not gifts.

Bartlett

It happens every year. Those cute puppies (and other animal companions such as kittens and rabbits) given as Christmas gifts start flooding into shelters and rescue groups early in January and that continues for several months each and every year. Puppies and kittens are living, breathing beings who need love and care. They cry because most of the time they have never been away from their mother and siblings. Often, after a couple of days or weeks, disinterested children or their parents tire of the constant crying and of having to clean up the mess the animals make since these babies are not housetrained. Housetraining takes time and patience which is not cared about or understood when the puppy brought home.

These absolutely helpless babies are then unceremoniously dumped by the same people that fawned over them for a day or two until the reality set in and they realized that some baby animals, but especially puppies, take a lot of time and work.

Many of those puppies will be killed because already full shelters simply cannot house the influx of all these helpless babies. “Free to a good home” ads fill the pages of social media and other resale sites, and fall victim to dog fighting rings, animal experiments, and other fates too awful to comprehend.

Such was the case with Bartlett. A thoughtless couple purchased him from a backyard breeder, then realized that they just did not have the time that a small puppy needed. While both of them worked long hours, Bartlett, just five weeks old, was left alone in a crate. When they arrived home from work, they were met with the sounds of a crying puppy, but they were tired and had other household responsibilities. After a few minutes of play, Bartlett was back in the crate. Lonesome and afraid, he cried in the crate all night, every night, and every day as well.

The young ignorant couple simply were not equipped to deal with any real additional responsibility, so luckily for Bartlett, they reached out for help. They, like everyone else who dumps their animals, said they wanted to be sure he went to a good home, and they got exceptionally lucky that we at In Defense of Animals Hope Animal Sanctuary could take Bartlett in.

This couple finally did the right thing. They were not willing to give the pup away to just anyone who wanted him, nor would they surrender him to a shelter. Most “Christmas” puppies and kittens are not so lucky. Bartlett will be fully vaccinated and when he is old enough he will be adopted to carefully screened guardians who will love him forever.

Bartlett is the first of many puppies and kittens who will be given up in the next few months when the “new” wears off. Please help us spread the word that puppies and kittens are living, breathing beings who need and deserve love and attention. They are not gifts.

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