Christmas

Don’t let this Christmas be lonely – foster a Battersea animal.

Battersea Dogs & Cats Home hopes its dog and cat fostering scheme can transform Christmas for those due to spend the festive season alone.

The charity is looking to recruit new dog and cat foster carers, who can take animals into their home and care for them while they recover from operations, or to give them a break from kennel or cattery life.

This is heartbreaking. The latest press release from Dogs Trust:
 
NOT SO MERRY CHRISTMAS FOR “CLUEDO” AND “SCRABBLE”
Christmas present pups handed in to Dogs Trust rescue centres

We all know “A Dog is for Life, Not just for Christmas” yet sadly this was not the case for puppies “Cluedo” and “Scrabble” who were handed in to Dogs Trust rehoming centres today, 28th December 2011.  

I read an article this morning about a lady who is lavishing £600 on her dog for Christmas. She is happy to disclose at the same time that her partner is only getting gifts to the value of £100. While I don't wish to criticize her, I can't help feeling that this situation is wrong on many levels.
 

If it's the thought that counts at Christmas, the thinking about dogs should be that they don't make good presents. It's too busy a time of year to be able to devote the necessary time to settling in a puppy. But don't take my word for it, here's what Dogs Trust have to say on the matter:

TOYING WITH THE IDEA OF BUYING A DOG FOR CHRISTMAS?
Dogs Trust reveals the shocking 'lifespan' of festive gifts

New research carried out by Dogs Trust, the UK's

Christmas is a great time of year for getting together and sharing that holiday spirit. But do make sure that your dog has as much fun as you do. Here's some advice from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons:
 
Include veterinary care in Christmas plans,’ advises the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons

Sometime over the weekend of 13th/14th November my daughter and I saw the John Lewis Christmas advert on television. We both had the same reaction, that it was not right - or even Christmassy - to show the dog in the advert stuck out in the snow in an old-fashioned, doorless kennel. Then the program we were watching came back on and we forgot about it. When I went onto the Internet on the following Monday morning, the doggy circles in which I move were awash with people complaining about the advert - the inadequate shelter, the isolation of the dog - and it was clear that I was not the only one who hadn't liked this advert. Many people were advocating contacting

The John Lewis Christmas advert contains scenes that many dog lovers have found offensive. I started a Facebook page which 1000 people joined in the first twenty four hours, and there is a petition too which within a day had over 1000 signatures.
 
John Lewis ignored us, then they fobbed us off then they misled us. This is the email that was sent to me, it is this wording which caused a story to run in my local paper which was picked up by the Telegraph (who did not contact me) :

There seems to be so much unhappiness about the John Lewis advert that we have created a Facebook page called Stop the John Lewis Christmas Ad. If you're on Facebook please do visit that page and watch the advert; and if you feel moved, complain to John Lewis. This ad from a very well UK department shop is sending out a dreadful message about the conditions in which it's acceptable to keep a dog.

Have you seen the John Lewis Christmas advert? If you have, did your heart sink at the scene where the dog was left outside in the snow with just a fairly ramshackle kennel for shelter? If so and you'd like to complain, you can email John Lewis to register your views. Apparently John Lewis have said they are aware of the problem, but of course, the more complaints they receive, the more urgently they will sort things out.