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As we approach the Christmas period and the season of gift giving, we look into the famous slogan, ‘a dog is for life, not just for Christmas’ and the importance of understanding the responsibilities of pet ownership.
It has been over 40 years since the famous campaign slogan by the Dogs Trust: ‘a dog is for life, not just for Christmas’ first appeared.
Indeed, it has become so successful and widely known that the charity has even tried to trademark it. The organisation, which receives a phone call every six minutes from people looking to re-house their dog strives to offer advice and ensure that a dog is for life.
The Dog’s Trust (formerly the NCDL) is the UK’s largest dog welfare charity and cares for over 15,000 dogs each year through a network of 20 rehoming centres in the UK. It has been involved in every piece of legislation affecting dogs over the past 126 years, helping to inform the public and raise standards for our canine friends.
Firmly believing that there is a dog for everyone and a human for every dog, The Dog’s Trust works to help rehome dogs across the country. It goes without saying that owning a dog, or any other pet, can be an immensely rewarding and enriching experience. However, one must be aware of the changes and responsibility that bringing a pet into the home entails.
When deciding on which breed to choose or whether you wish to have a pet, it is a decision that should not be taken lightly. Ensuring the wellbeing of another living creature and one that requires the owner to change and adapt to having a new member of the household is a decision that must be well considered.
For example, when deciding on getting a dog or any new pet, our seven guidelines may help you to understand what this involves:
- Say goodbye to preconceived ideas – you may like the look of a particular pet but that doesn’t mean they’re right for you
- Think about your lifestyle
- Don’t impulse buy
- Do your sums
- Think about a rescue pet
- Use a reputable breeder
- Find your perfect match.
Choosing to have a dog is one that ought to be a decision taken by the entire family where the realities and responsibilities can be outlined and agreed on. The Dog’s Trust offers useful advice and guidance on how to properly research choosing your dog including looking at breeders, what responsible ownership entails and the day-to-day realities of having a dog.
The VCMS would like to wish all of our followers and clients a very Merry Christmas. We will be closed from 6pm on 22 December and re-open at 8am on 4 January 2022.
Should you wish to contact our teams, please fill in an online complaint form and we will reply upon our return.
