Preloved Advent Charity Spotlight Week 2: Dog’s Trust

While we’re enjoying the excitement and the Preloved advent calendar, Preloved knows it’s important to think of those less fortunate at this time of year. So, as always, we’re going to be supporting a number of charities throughout the month to encourage our members to give back during December.

So, we’re featuring one charity a week to ask you to consider donating on behalf of a friend or family member as a gift this year, instead of splashing out on gifts.

This week is Dog’s Trust and their  A dog is for life, not just for Christmas® campaign

Dogs Trust and A dog is for life, not just for Christmas®

Our new Christmas advert is online and in cinemas this December, and is all about reminding everyone of our famous slogan; A dog is for life, not just for Christmas® and asking people to remember Christmas Presents aren’t dogs, and dogs aren’t Christmas presents. A dog is for life, not just for Christmas®

A dog is for life, not just for Christmas® was coined by our former Chief Executive Clarissa Baldwin in 1978. The trustees asked Clarissa to come up with something ‘cheap and cheerful’ that really hit home the responsible dog ownership message. Forty years later, the iconic slogan is as relevant as ever – reminding people that dogs should never be given as gifts or bought on a whim.

Last year between Boxing Day 2017 and 31^st January 2018 we received 4,827 calls from members of the public asking to hand over their dogs for a variety of reasons, that’s an average of 138 calls a day. Sadly the number of calls we receive after Christmas from people wanting to give up their dog to us is on the rise. In 2016 we received 3,400 calls, increasing to 3,596 in 2017. Our latest figure is nearly 5,000.

This Christmas – more than ever – people must remember that A dog is for life, not just for Christmas®. Dogs are a wonderful addition in the right circumstances, but before bringing one into our homes we all need to think whether they are right for our lifestyles and whether we can give them a home for life.

Adam Clowes, Operations Director explains:

“Every year – even on Christmas Day itself – we have dogs brought to us from people who have received them as presents and don’t want them. Once the initial Christmas sparkle has worn off and people realise the huge commitment it takes to own a dog, they come into our care. It’s heart-breaking for us to see when it could so easily have been prevented. Dogs are a wonderful addition in the right circumstances, but before bringing one into our homes we all need to think whether they are right for our lifestyles and, whether we can give them a home for life. Christmas presents aren’t dogs, and dogs aren’t Christmas presents. It’s that simple!”

We would always ask anyone considering bringing a four-legged friend into their lives, to rehome a rescue dog. We have thousands of dogs of all shapes and sizes in our rehoming centres waiting to meet their special someone. We would never recommend buying a puppy from any online source, but instead thoroughly to do your research so you can be confident that the puppy you have your eye on, has been bred responsibly.

We have a wealth of advice on our website to help people be confident that they are buying a puppy from a good breeder, instead of a seller who makes a good living pedalling sick puppies who may have been illegally imported into this country. We want people to realise that if an advert seems too good to be true, it probably is.

And, when you visit a puppy you should expect the breeder to be as curious about you and the home you can provide, as you are about the puppy. If anyone ever feels rushed into making a purchase, they should walk away. It’s hard to do but it’s the right thing to do. Report anything dodgy to Trading Standards too.