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Christmas Pets on Your
Gift-Giving List This Year?
Christmas pets as gifts? Tis the
season of hope and hopefully to bring
stark awareness to the pitfalls of giving pets as gifts.
I recently read an article in our newspaper that I was so
moved by that I decided I had a responsibility to help spread the
message. So...
...What
do Paris Hilton, Taco Bell, and the movie "Legally Blonde" have in
common? They have all contributed to the explosion of Chihuahuas as
pets!
Because of the high profile these pint sized balls of fire now have,
it's no
surprise that they're one of the most popular breeds in Los Angeles.
This phenomenon is in part due to the attention being brought on them
by Hollywood celeb's, movies, and national advertising.
Now
Starring at Nearby Hollywood Animal
Shelters Everywhere:
The
Chihuahua!
Yes
it's true, and there is a dark side to their popularity
explosion.
Many of the starstruck, who were emotionally led to purchase this tiny
toy breed, quickly discovered they were not a good fit afterall. Then
as the glammor and glitz of this adorable little "dog to the stars"
wore off, hundreds have been cast
aside to local animal shelters.
According to a spokesperson at San
Francisco Animal Care and
Control,
so many have been surrendered that they currently make up
approximately 30% of the dog population in many California
shelters . If this trend continues the numbers could
reach
as
high as 50% of all dogs housed in shelters there.
Moral
of the story: Adopting a four legged family member should
not be
taken lightly and most important to mention during the holiday season
is that ANIMALS DO NOT
MAKE GOOD GIFTS!
Christmas pets? It may seem as though waking up Christmas morning to a
new puppy or
kitten, all wrapped up in pretty ribbon, might just be the best gift
you could ever give...but how sure
are you that the recipient really wants
the lifetime responsibility that goes along with it, much
less the
financial investment that comes with raising a pet.
Animal adoption should be a carefully made decision and should never
be made on a whim. Pets are counting on their humans to make an
investment
in
them for their lifetime; for better or for worse, in sickness and in
health! It
is
simply careless to risk any animal being tossed aside like a used toy
once the excitement of the furry little Christmas gift wears
off.
Dogs, cats, or pets of any kind are living, breathing creatures who
require love, compassion and commitment. Leave the
bows and
ribbons for disposable items that can be replaced and ask
yourself if
you're truely ready for the commitment of a family
pet.
Houston Chronicle Article - Unwanted Chihuahuas
Back from Christmas Pets to Pet Care
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