Mandurah’s beloved charity K9 Rescue Group has urged people not to ditch their older pooches this festive season.
The rescue centre in Nambeelup has spotted a trend of people discarding older dogs in the lead up to Christmas.
K9 Rescue Group president Carol Carter said it was a worrying trend that needed to change.
She attributed the behaviour to people going on holidays and not wanting to pay for a dog sitter or pound fees.
Ms Carter also said people contacting the centre asking if they was any puppies available increased ahead of Christmas.
“It’s a throw away society,” she said.
“Lots of people ask us for puppies, then we always get a lot back after Christmas, in the new year. The novelty just wears off for people.”
Publicist and volunteer Janine Matthews said often the centre received dogs in very poor conditions.
One particular dog the centre received from a local pound in December, called Arnold, was in a very poor condition.
He has a sore leg, missing hair on his rear and is half deaf. Ms Matthews said it was disgusting that people would leave a dog in that state.
Ms Carter said it wasn’t the end for older dogs though.
She said there was a lot of people that wanted older dogs because they tended to have a tame nature.
Ms Carter said generally they were adopted out to elderly people in independent nursing homes or families with young children.
She also said the rescue group had brought in a series of measures to ensure puppies were re-homed to an adequate family.
“People need to think before they get a dog,” she said.
“We make them fill in a puppy questionnaire."
The centre is looking to launching puppy training sessions in the new year.
For more information contact the centre on 9581 9005.
