Bad ideas for Christmas presents
Announcement posted by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Australia 10 Dec 2018
Dear Editor,
If you are thinking of giving a dog or cat as a "gift" this Christmas, please reconsider.
No matter how much they’d like to make it work, many people who receive animals as gifts find that they’re unable to make the lifelong commitment to caring for their new animal companion. Animals deserve the best lives possible, but being given as a gift will make that outcome less likely.
Animal shelters are filled beyond capacity with homeless animals, many of whom were former "pets"—all because a child lost interest and no one else stepped in and took the time to provide training and care. When their novelty wears off, animals who are given as "gifts" are often neglected, left in backyards, dumped on the streets to die or surrendered to shelters – which have to euthanise thousands of animals every year for lack of good homes.
Adding a dog or cat to the family means promising to care for, spend time with and love this animal for his or her lifetime – which could be 15 years or more. If you’re ready for this, please adopt a dog or cat from a shelter. To learn more, visit PETA.org.au.
Laura Weyman-Jones
Press Officer, PETA Australia
PO Box 20308 World Square
Sydney, NSW 2002
08 8556 5828
LauraWJ@peta.org.au
If you are thinking of giving a dog or cat as a "gift" this Christmas, please reconsider.
No matter how much they’d like to make it work, many people who receive animals as gifts find that they’re unable to make the lifelong commitment to caring for their new animal companion. Animals deserve the best lives possible, but being given as a gift will make that outcome less likely.
Animal shelters are filled beyond capacity with homeless animals, many of whom were former "pets"—all because a child lost interest and no one else stepped in and took the time to provide training and care. When their novelty wears off, animals who are given as "gifts" are often neglected, left in backyards, dumped on the streets to die or surrendered to shelters – which have to euthanise thousands of animals every year for lack of good homes.
Adding a dog or cat to the family means promising to care for, spend time with and love this animal for his or her lifetime – which could be 15 years or more. If you’re ready for this, please adopt a dog or cat from a shelter. To learn more, visit PETA.org.au.
Laura Weyman-Jones
Press Officer, PETA Australia
PO Box 20308 World Square
Sydney, NSW 2002
08 8556 5828
LauraWJ@peta.org.au