Dumped pets 'don't match new sofa'
21 December 2005

LONDON: Britons have abandoned their pets because they didn't match new sofas or carpets, the RSPCA said as it issued its annual warning that animals should not be given as Christmas presents. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said its centres across the country were bracing themselves to take in a crop of abandoned pets picked up by its inspectors in the run-up to and aftermath of Christmas.

Last year the charity said it investigated 530 complaints of animals being abandoned between December 23 and January 6 whilst it also took in numerous pets no longer wanted by their owners. It said the reasons given included: "My cat doesn't match my new carpet"; "My dog doesn't match the new sofa"; "Our kitten isn't playful enough with our children"; and "She hurts my legs when she wags her tail".

"Some of the excuses we've highlighted show a complete lack of understanding about the responsibilities of owning an animal," said Tim Miles, the RSPCA's chief veterinary adviser. "The RSPCA always urges that anyone taking on a pet should seriously consider the implications and the commitment, time and finances needed to care for that pet for the rest of its life."

The charity said in the first 12 days of December it had already received 492 calls relating to abandoned animals. It also warned that Christmas brought other potential problems for pets.

"Unfamiliar guests, excited children, strange decorations, noise from party poppers, fireworks or balloons and family disputes can often make the most settled animals ill at ease in their usually familiar surroundings," Miles said.