I asked a couple of the kids in my daughter’s class what they were wanting for Christmas this year and amongst the Barbie this and the Hulk that were a couple of ‘cachorros’. Puppies!
I wonder how people who work at the animal shelters feel about Christmas. With the pens heaving and not a square inch to squeeze in one more four legged soul it must be very tempting to wave a few fur babies off as Christmas presents. But the animal rescue volunteers know very well that many a Christmas morning’s furry bundle turns into Easter’s mangy stray dog or street cat.
What they want to see is not the temporary respite of a little more space in the shelter but the dogs and cats in their care going to forever homes where they will never be abandoned or neglected again.
I have mentioned Sharon Haslam from Happy Tails who visits me regularly to help me keep Tito under some semblance of control. Sharon also works with K9 Tenerife to ensure that the dogs who are rehomed from there settle in and is available for further support if needed by the new owners.
If you are considering getting your kids a pet for Christmas, I’d suggest holding off until the festive season is well by. That puppy or kitten that stole everyones’ heart on Christmas morning will have peed on the floor once too often or clawed the new speakers to bits by Valentine’s Day. The luckiest of them will find their way to a shelter while the rest will swell the ranks of abandoned animals on the streets of Tenerife.
You’ll have your pick of great companions and instead of paying a fortune to the breeder you can give a welcome donation to the shelter and put some money towards Sharon’s excellent dog training services.
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