LIMESTONE Coast residents are being reminded to think twice before purchasing a pet as the perfect present for Christmas this year.
Although a new furry family member might seem like an adorable gift option, South East Animal Welfare League (SEAWL) representative Caitlin Mellor said pet ownership required careful consideration.
“Some people do not think about everything that goes into looking after a pet before they purchase one,” she said.
“A lot of careful planning should happen before taking the plunge.
“We have already had animals surrendered before Christmas as families do not have enough time to spend with them or are heading away for the festive period.”
With rescue services across the region inundated with animals, Ms Mellor said the prospect of taking on any more unwanted pets was overwhelming.
“We’re already at capacity for cats and I know that Wet Noses Animal Rescue is struggling to keep up with the numbers as well,” she said.
“It is kitten season at the moment, so we are just trying to keep up with the animals coming in every week.
“We obviously want people to come out and adopt our animals, but we just want to make sure they are prepared for the responsibility.”
Ms Mellor said the facility often has people adopt an animal as a surprise for their family members not realising it might not be the right one for them.
“We have parents that tell us how much their children like their friend’s dog so they want to adopt one for them,” she said.
“But then it turns out the animal does not fit in the family environment as the children do not bond with it for whatever reason.
“The better idea would be to bring the kids out to our facility and let them get to know an animal before deciding on adopting, even if they visit a few times to make sure it is a perfect match.”
Although the SEAWL warns of the responsibilities of pet ownership, it does not want to discourage people adopting its animals.
“We just want people to be 100pc sure of their adoption choices – we still want them to come out and meet our wonderful animals,” Ms Mellor said.
“You can get kittens on Facebook for free, but if you adopt from the SEAWL at a small cost then they have had all their necessary vet appointments before you take them home.
“The same goes for dogs – we invest the money into making them ready to go to their new homes for their future families.”
