Staff at Dogs Trust Leeds have been working around the clock over the Christmas period caring for all the dogs and Christmas’s first canine casualty, a five week old Staffordshire Bull Terrier Cross who was abandoned outside a betting shop, the day before Christmas Eve.
With no room at the inn, staff at Dogs Trust Leeds took the tiny pup – who they have nicknamed Betty – home with them for Christmas, where she received round-the-clock care to help her gain strength and recover from her ordeal.
Betty was found in a cardboard box, and staff at the centre believe that a poor diet has contributed to Betty’s weak and fragile state, and has stunted her growth.
Dogs Trust Leeds Rehoming Centre manager, Amanda Sands, comments:
“We suspect Betty may have been bought as a Christmas present, and dumped when her owners realised the work involved in looking after such a young puppy. At Betty’s age, she shouldn’t even have left her Mum, let alone been abandoned in a box in the cold.
“Our centre looks after thousands of abandoned and unwanted dogs every year but it still shocks us to think that someone could so callously abandon a puppy in these circumstances. Her odds of making a full recovery are on the up, but if someone hadn’t found her, Betty would almost certainly have died.
“2015 was the 37th anniversary of Dogs Trust’s iconic slogan ‘A dog is for life, not just for Christmas’ and sadly it’s as true today as when it was first coined. Every year we see a number of dogs handed into our rehoming centres in the days and weeks following Christmas when the appeal of a cute puppy has worn off.
It seems that people are still giving puppies as Christmas presents without considering the long term ramifications. Dogs can provide a world of happiness and enjoyment, and we urge anyone considering a new addition to the family to think it through properly and care for the dog for its entire life.”
Dogs Trust CEO, Adrian Burder says:
“After nearly 40 years of highlighting our iconic slogan, “A dog is For Life Not Just For Christmas”, it’s clear to see that it is still as prevalent today as it was back in 1978, as many dogs like these puppies continue to be treated as fashion accessories, trends or commodities that can be cast off when their appeal wears thin.”
“Time and again, people continue to buy puppies as Christmas presents without taking into consideration the demands of caring for a tiny puppy and the lifelong commitment that dog ownership brings. Sadly, there are many understandable reasons why people have to give up their dogs and we appreciate that circumstances can change beyond their control, however we cannot fathom that dogs should be callously abandoned simply because people haven’t done their research before buying.”
To find out more about the work of Dogs Trust or how you can get involved please visit www.dogstrust.org.uk
or call 0300 303 0292.
