Dog's life for pups as pet novelty wears off

Animal sanctuaries across the State are bracing themselves for more arrivals as the novelty of Christmas pets starts to wane.

Ms Gillian Bird, of the Dublin Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, said the society tended to receive its largest number of unwanted dogs just after schools reopened.

"That's when it starts falling on parents to feed and care for an animal which they didn't want in the first place, and before long it turns up on our doorstep."

The society has taken in 28 dogs since Christmas Eve, including 13 puppies from three litters, abandoned before Christmas by owners who, said Ms Bird, "didn't want them under their feet while they were cooking Christmas dinner".

She said she believed owners were becoming more welfare-conscious, because "for the first Christmas ever, we didn't come in in the morning to find animals tied to our gate" in freezing overnight conditions. "We were pleased about that because it seems people are more aware about cruelty issues."

However, this did not mean fewer dogs were being abandoned. "Much as we repeat the message that a pup is for life and not just for Christmas, it does not seem to be getting across to people," said Mr Ciaran O'Donovan, chief executive of the ISPCA.

Apart from the post-Christmas period, he said, the ISPCA's busiest time was during the summer, when people abandoned their dogs during holidays instead of paying £5-£10 a day for a kennel. One cause of abandonment was over-breeding, he said, adding that there was a need for a national neutering and micro-chipping programme, which should be supported by the Department of the Environment and local government. ISPCA volunteers subsidise the neutering of dogs in certain areas. The CSPCA in Cork reported a similar experience over the holiday period, with 15 dogs brought in since Christmas Eve.