by Alan Jacques
LIMERICK animal rights campaigners took to the city’s streets this week to urge frantic shoppers not to buy dogs this Christmas.
Founder of the Animal Rights Action Network (ARAN), John Carmody, warns that Christmas can be “murder” on animals. And this Tuesday as Limerick consumers paced up and down O’Connell Street ticking items off their shopping list, ARAN campaigners decked out in festive attire were perched outside Debenhams urging shoppers not to purchase dogs this December.
Said Mr Carmody: “Every year Irish pounds destroy thousands of dogs because there are simply not enough homes for these helpless animals. In the run up to Christmas, unsuspecting shoppers will purchase specific breeds of dogs from breeders, and will purchase all sorts of other animals to give as gifts”.
ARAN warns the biggest problem not only lies in the fact that so many helpless animals are awaiting a new home in already full-to-capacity animal shelters, but because people continue buying.
“Also, when people buy animals as gifts and fad wears off shortly after, only for these animals to be most often dumped outside of shelters and abandoned on the streets, in rivers and local parks in the New Year”.
