HANDLE WITH CARE
Responsible Christmas Shopping
Written by Charlotte Andrews (8YNG)
With Christmas just around the corner, it's time for that manic shopping period when everything is foolishly expensive and there is a mad rush to by the latest toy or computer game. But with so many man-made items there for the taking, there is still always one gift on nearly every young mind... a pet.
Sadly though, there is a harsh reality behind this Christmas favourite. Every year hundreds of pets outgrow their use and novelty and are subsequently pushed out of their home, abandoned and alone. You may have heard the phrase 'A dog is for life, not just for Christmas' and this is very true, so through the bad and the worse you need to look after your pet. People panic and leave dogs tied up, neglected and left to die. Even hamsters suffer as well. In 2007, an employee for the RSPCA found a hamster in a cage with bedding and food, tied up in a plastic bin bag, ready to be collected by the bin men in the morning.
In 2008, The Blue Cross carried out a survey about how people felt regarding their pets. Over 23% of the people questioned felt too guilty to ask for help from experts and just abandoned them. Because of the credit crunch and the current economic climate, the number of abandoned pets has soared up to 57% this year. The RSPCA revealed that a total of 11,586 pets were abandoned in 2008, 7347 in 2007, meaning that 30 or more animals on average were abandoned every day. For cats, the abandonment number has risen by 50% and for dogs by more than a third. As well as the two main domestic animals, others such as fish, snakes, birds and exotic animals are also being regularly found abandoned too. So before you rush out to go and get an animal, you really have to consider the facts about looking after it and keeping a healthy pet. Read books about it, find out what makes them happy or stressed and be really careful about whether you do want it or can afford to give it a happy, healthy home.
A pet really is for life. Please make sure that the life of any pet you have is a good one.
