The Scottish SPCA Edinburgh Animal Rescue and Rehoming Centre is bracing itself for an abundance of unwanted animals this Christmas – and is appealing to pet owners to think twice about trading their old family pet for a new one, or taking on the responsibility of an animal they cannot care for.
Centre manager Diane Aitchison said, “It’s an upsetting reality that in the weeks and months after Christmas our centres are often asked to take in puppies, kittens and other pets who were given as presents. Even worse, some of these animals are dumped like rubbish once the novelty has worn off.
“Every year in the lead up to Christmas we stress that animals should never be bought on a whim or given as surprise presents but some people aren’t getting the message.
She added: “Every January we take in hundreds of animals and it is possible some of these animals had been bought for Christmas. For that reason we are asking people to consider whether they have the time and financial resources to be able to properly care for an animal for life.
“In order to reduce the risks of people taking on pets to give away as presents, we will stop rehoming puppies, kittens and baby animals between 19 December 2016 and 3 January 2017. We have to ensure our rescue animals aren’t being taken on by someone who just wants a new pet for Christmas.
“Our message is simple, a pet is a lifelong commitment and not a present which can be given at Christmas and then forgotten about soon afterwards.”
There is no rest for the dedicated staff at the charity’s nine centres throughout Scotland who work 365 days a year. Over this festive period the Society’s Rescue and Rehoming centres will be closed to members of the public on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day and 2 January 2017.
The Scottish SPCA rely entirely on public donations and receive no government or lottery funding, if people would like to donate this Christmas they can call the charity’s helpline on 03000 999 999 or visit https://www.scottishspca.org.
CASE STUDY
Winter (above) was dumped and left for dead on a remote country road on Christmas Day.
We were called out when the spaniel setter cross was discovered moments after a car was spotted stopping on an unclassified road in Lanarkshire near the A71.
Unfortunately, we weren’t able to identify the person responsible, but we were able find a fantastic new home for the 10 year old dog, who we named Winter. Senior Inspector Billy Linton
Senior Inspector Billy Linton said, “It seems the driver simply let Winter out of the car and drove away. Thankfully, someone in a nearby cottage saw the car stop and when they checked outside they found this poor dog in a great deal of distress.
“Whoever abandoned Winter couldn’t have cared whether he lived or died. He was very lucky someone found him and called us because he could just as easily have run off or been knocked down by a car and killed.
“It is very sad but abandonments around this time of the year are quite common. Even though it will be hard for most people to imagine, we can’t rule out the possibility that Winter’s owner decided to get rid of him to make way for a Christmas puppy given his age.
“We were delighted to find Winter the loving new home he deserved with an owner who will care for him properly.”
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