Christmas cat. Source: Pexels
Western Australian animal shelters are urging people to say no to buying pets this Christmas and adopt them instead.
Senior staff member of the Avon Valley branch of Saving Animals from Euthanasia (SAFE), Freedom Bradbury says the need for adoption is significantly increasing.
“We’ve now taken in just over 750 cats and kittens this year, which is the highest we’ve ever handled through this branch,” Ms Bradbury said.
“It’s pretty scary, to be honest … we’re scared about what this means for our wellbeing across the board.”
Part of her role is to look after abandoned animals as well as to rescue animals from the street.
One for her facilities is already housing dogs, cats, and some rabbits.
Ms Bradbury says the rising costs of her veterinary bills, as well as the small space she has to care for the animals, is taking a toll on her quality of life.
“We’re pretty concerned about what the future looks like … our capacity to function and to manage our own lives is very heavily impacted,” she said.
“I’ve always said, ‘It will all be alright in the end, and if it’s not alright then it’s not the end.”
“So we’ve just got to hold on to the positive things.”
As the season of giving approaches, it is important for people to be mindful that pets are more than just presents, they are living, breathing, and emotional beings.
There is no question that for countless Australians, getting a pet can add immense joy to their life.
But it is important people get a pet for the right reasons.
A spokesperson for The Lost Dogs home in Victoria Suzana Talevski says that “we understand people can get carried away with the holiday season but animals should never be given away as surprise gifts”
“The idea of a child seeing a puppy or kitten coming out of a gift box sounds heart-warming, but once that emotion is gone, the responsibilities remain,” she said.
She also says she has seen people return animals as quick as 24 to 48 hours after adopting them for reasons like the cat “meowed too much” and “cat had too much fur.”
