PETS should never be an impulse purchase, or a surprise Christmas gift, the RSPCA is warning.

Unless you want a loving friend for life, Michelle Robertson RSPCA ACT CEO is urging Canberrans not to buy animals as gifts this Christmas.

“Please don’t buy an animal as a gift for someone without having those people involved because it’s not a small commitment,” she said.

“The people who care for that animal have to be able to care for it over the course of that animal’s life. 

“It’s a financial commitment, it’s a time commitment and a lifestyle commitment, it’s not a spur-of-the-moment thing.”

Each year, when people realise they are not capable of raising animals given to them as Christmas gifts, they surrender them.

Robertson said September and October were peak times for unwanted pets to be abandoned or surrendered for adoption in the ACT.

“We don’t see it in January, but in September and October we start seeing those cute puppies or kittens that are no longer little and may have become destructive or too hard to handle,” Robertson said.

It comes at a time when the RSPCA is seeing record numbers of dogs suffering with starvation in the ACT.

Robertson said at least one emaciated dog a day came into the care of the animal welfare agency over a period of one week in October.

“Every single day our inspectors brought an emaciated dog in, and that was incredibly unusual,” she said.

“One starving dog is one starving dog too many, but seeing so many was very concerning and it weighed very heavily on us.”

It’s a timely reminder for people not to purchase dogs as gifts unless they have factored in the financial, mental and physical impact of caring for a pet.

“We understand that there are a lot of hardships mentally and financially, but we can’t have our pets being the ones that pay the price,” Robertson said.

“We do see dogs in a really bad condition, and that’s really hard for our team.”

Since the pandemic, the RSPCA has seen a greater incidence of pets being surrendered with behavioural problems arising from not being socialised. 

“Covid has really changed the trend lines a lot,” Robertson said.

“We see more dogs and cats when their behaviour starts to become more challenging, when they haven’t been well socialised or where there has been disruptions to routines with people going back to work.

“So our surrender lists are really full with people saying they want to surrender their animals because of those behavioural issues.”

People still thinking about opening their home to a furry friend this Christmas should do their research first, Robertson said.

“We need people that can look after an animal properly for the lifetime of that animal,” she said.

“So, if you have the physical, mental and lifestyle means and you really want to adopt a member of the family please come see us.”

A more cost effective alternative for people wishing to acquire a family pet may be to approach an animal shelter rather than a pet shop.

“Adopt, don’t shop,” said Robertson.

“If it’s not an impulse decision and it’s something you have been thinking about, our shelter is full so please come and save an animal because we have some beautiful pets that need a good home.”

Robertson said if people are looking to give something back this festive season, offering to volunteer at the RSPCA or an animal shelter would be an ideal gift.

“Volunteer or make a donation in someone’s name,” she said.

“We have a program called the Guardian Angel program where you can become a guardian angel of the animals that will spend Christmas and New Year with us so please do that, or donate to a rescue group in the ACT.”

RSPCA ACT can be contacted on 62878100.