Above: All eight-year-old Max wants for Christmas is a new home.
By Casey Neill
ANIMAL Aid shelter’s Debra Boland is encouraging people to adopt a new companion to take home during the holiday period.
“People are often at home and have time to help them settle in,” she said.
But Ms Boland is warning that animals should never be given as presents.
“Don’t buy a pet for someone else,” she said.
She recommends gift givers instead buy a collar, lead or bowl if they believe a pet tops their loved one’s Christmas wish list.
“Then they can pick out their own pet,” she said.
Ms Boland said animals were often dumped at pounds after Christmas because they were not what the pet owner wanted or planned.
She said a shelter should be the first point of call for anyone buying a pet.
“We have all sorts of dogs and cats here for all sorts of people,” she said.
“There are literally thousands of puppies and kittens in shelters waiting for a home.”
Ms Boland said anyone who could not find what they were after at a shelter, should visit a reputable breeder.
She said buying a puppy or kitten from a pet shop fuelled demand and increased breeder production, leading to more shelter dumpings.
Animal Aid in Coldstream and Keysborough’s Australian Animal Protection Society shelter noted a recent puppy influx.
“Usually we might get one or two leftover from a litter,” Ms Boland said.
“But we’ve received a few full litters, two of them including the mother.”
Ms Boland said most litters were unplanned and urged all pet owners to have their animals desexed.
“Accidents happen and that is just the reality,” she said.
Ms Boland said even dogs in a ‘secure’ backyard are not safe.
“Male dogs will travel kilometres and jump incredibly high fences if they smell a female in season,” she said.
“It really is a strong drive.”
