The saying "a dog is for life, not just for Christmas" is repeated regularly by rescue organisations towards the end of the year.
They are tired of seeing history repeating itself time and time again, with innocent creatures being abandoned as soon as the festive period comes to an end.
A discarded gift
Yorkshire Terrier Leo was bought as a Christmas gift in 2021. But his family quickly grew tired of him, because "he chewed shoes and got very big".
As any animal lover knows, dogs are not robots or toys. They require patience and understanding, as they learn all about life in a home. "When he arrived with me, he was so scared he could barely move", explained Lola, in her tweet about Leo's story.
Hundreds of people shared similar stories, with one person commenting, "Monco was also bought as a Christmas gift, but he was quickly given up because the family claimed he destroyed things at home. He's been with us for nearly 12 years, and he's never broken a single thing."
"Animals should never be a gift", explained another, "unless there is absolute certainty that they will be cared for and looked after".
Adopting responsibly
Many dogs and cats have similar stories. They are given as gifts, and then mistreated or abandoned, which is exactly what happened to these four poor pups when they were brought to the pound:
They are man's best friend for a reason, and all dogs deserve compassion and love from their families.
