Leitrim Animal Welfare urges caution over Christmas puppy purchases

With Christmas just a month away, Leitrim’s only animal shelter, the Leitrim Animal Welfare Centre, has issued an informational alert for anyone considering getting a puppy as a Christmas present.

While a puppy may seem like a wonderful gift, the shelter is warning the public about important things to watch out for, the ethical concerns involved, and what you should do if you are planning to buy a dog as a Christmas present.

They cautioned that although puppy ads online may appear picture-perfect, “those pictures show the puppies that get to leave. They don’t show the parent dogs still left behind, breeding litter after litter so humans can make easy money. Pretty photos do not equal ethical conditions,” the shelter said in a post on Facebook.

The shelter also highlighted that thousands of dogs are already sitting in rescues and pounds, which often experience an influx of surrendered Christmas puppies in the new year.

They shared advice on how to distinguish an ethical breeder from an unethical one.

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“Ethical breeders do not breed mixed-breed ‘designer dogs,’ no cockapoos, cavapoos, labradoodles, pomskies, or any deliberate mixed litters.

“Ethical breeders do not breed in kennels. Their dogs live in the home, as genuine family members, not in sheds or concrete runs,” the post continued.

The shelter further explained that ethical breeders health-test both parent dogs, including hips, elbows, genetics, eyes, and temperament.

If choosing to buy from a breeder, Leitrim Animal Welfare advises asking for registration numbers and walking away if anything feels off.

“Transparency is the bare minimum. And here’s the reality: When people stop buying from these breeders, the profit dries up. No profit means no incentive to keep producing litters,” they explained.

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Urging people to adopt rather than shop, they outlined the benefits of adoption: the rescue knows the dog, understands its needs, can match it to the right home, and will take the dog back if necessary.

“Please think carefully this Christmas, a puppy is not a present, it’s a lifetime commitment,” the post urged.

“Give puppies in Ireland the best gift this Christmas: choose not to buy. It doesn’t just affect one litter, it impacts every future litter that won’t be bred when the profit disappears. Real change starts with one decision,” they concluded.