A dog welfare charity is urging members of the public to think carefully about bringing a dog into their home in the present climate as their lifestyles will change when lock-down lifts.
In the month after nationwide lock-down was introduced on Monday 23 March, Google searches for “buy a puppy” increased by 120 per cent, Dogs Trust states.
DOG Trust has expressed concern that when lock-down and social distancing restrictions are eased, there may be a spike in people giving up their dogs, as this pattern of behaviour has been seen around Christmas time in the past.
The charity has therefore made a slight alteration to its famous slogan “A dog is for life, not just for Christmas”, changing it to “A dog is for life, not just for lock-down.
“Please remember that life will go back to ‘normal’ at some point with people returning to work and school, and when this happens you need to think about whether you can still fit a dog into your life,” the television and radio personality said.
According to the Kennel Club, puppy registrations for the Scottish terrier increased by 92 per cent in the first three months of 2020 in comparison to the same time last year.
Bill Lambert, spokesperson for the Kennel Club, said that rising interest for smaller breeds of dog could be “partly driven by lifestyle changes, where people living in urban environments with busy lifestyles are looking for smaller dogs that require less space, and partly by the dictates of fashion, driven by celebrity, advertising and social media.
That it is important not to forget that “you still have to walk a dog on a rainy evening, and pick up their poo in the dark.