DOGS TRUST | PET GAZETTE | 25
good breeder, instead of a seller who makes
a good living pedalling sick puppies who may
have been illegally imported into this country”.
“If an advert seems too good to be true, it
probably is,” is the ultimate piece of advice to
give to those pondering a dog according to
Mayer. When visiting a puppy she says buyers
should “expect the breeder to be as curious
about you and the home you can provide, as
you are about the puppy”, adding: “If anyone
ever feels rushed into making a purchase,
they should walk away.”
A DOG IS FOR LIFE IN 2018
After running for 40 years, is the campaign
still needed today? “We will carry on shouting
‘a dog is for life, not just for Christmas’ until the
day that we stop seeing dogs abandoned,
or handed in to our rehoming centres,”
counters Mayer, who adds: “Our ‘a dog is for
life, not just for Christmas’ campaign is still
as relevant as it was 40 years ago, and with
www.petgazette.biz
the popularity of online purchases – dare we
say it – more important today.” She goes on
to explain that her charity takes in thousands
of dogs from “heartbroken” owners whose
circumstances have changed and mean
they can no longer look after their canine
friend, so the staff who see the “other end
of the spectrum” of a dog being handed in
it was bought “on a whim” it is particularly
hard for them. Mayer blames the “first-click
world” which “worryingly now includes dogs”
for the increased need for the charity’s work.
Puppies bought online will not always come
from good breeders, she explains and says
a significant number will have been “illegally
imported”. Mayer reassures those worried
about the illegal pet trade that Dogs Trust is
“working hard to tackle this cruel trade”.
With the charity gearing up for another
Christmas campaign which will feature
fundraising events such as Christmas
fairs, raffles and tombolas. Mayer says the
message from Dogs Trust will be exactly the
same again this year, she adds “it’s really
important to us that people understand that
dogs – although a wonderful addition to the
right family – should always be considered as
a lifetime commitment”.
FACT FILE
• Dogs Trust charity founded in 1891
• The slogan first appeared in 1978
• Rise of illegal internet sales brings new
purpose to the message
• Lucy’s Law, which was passed on
August 2018, makes impulse
purchases more difficult
• The campaign still at the heart of the
charity’s work
• The charity takes in thousands of dogs
each year due to changes in owner
circumstances
December 2018