We all know the saying ‘A dog is for life not just for Christmas’, but unfortunately this wasn’t true for 8-week-old Ronnie. This adorable pup is the first Christmas dog to be dumped at Battersea Dogs home in 2018. Just 8 days after Christmas the unwanted pet, bought online, was left at Battersea Dogs and Cats Home in South London.
In a press release from the famous Dogs and Cats home, it was revealed that the mongrel puppy was abandoned after the owner was made homeless.
Very little is known about Ronnie’s background and the home is currently conducting medical examinations on the 8-week-old pup. According to Home Intake Manager, Steve Craddock, selling dog’s online is the biggest issue facing Battersea Dog’s Home today.
‘We believe he may have been taken from his mother far too young and likely sold by a breeder with absolutely no regard for his welfare’, he said.
Despite the current popularity of programs like Paul O’Grady’s, ‘For the Love of Dogs’, abandoning dogs, especially at Christmas, is on the rise.
Last year saw a 54% increasein the number of dogs left abandoned in the two weeks around Christmas, with 127 dogs being abandoned at homes across the country.
In an interview with BBC earlier last year, Supt Simon Osborne said, 'During the festive season alone last year, we rescued over 25,000 animals, many of which had been cruelly abandoned.'
Although in this case it was probably best to give little Ronnie over to Battersea, this is a serious issue. With over 20,000 pets expected to be abandoned over the course of the winter season, Ronnie may be the first dog to be abandoned at Battersea in 2018, but unfortunately he is definitely not going to be the last.
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.