Animal group pleads with parents not to purchase puppies as Christmas presents

PALMA
AN animal protection group based in Majorca last night urged parents not to buy a puppy as a Christmas present for their children this festive season.
The plea from Baldea (La Plataforma Balear para de los Animales) follows the revelation that more than 10'000 pets were abandoned in Majorca during the past 12 months.

Ana Aranda, vice-president for the animal group, said about 27 pets were dumped at refuges and sanctuaries every day of the year.
She claimed there were more animals abandoned in Majorca with a population of just over one million than in Madrid with eight million inhabitants.
Baldea represents 15 separate animal groups and charities, including Centro Canino and SOS.
The vice-president said she understood why young children wanted a cute puppy as a Christmas present, but she said many families failed to appreciate the consequences of becoming a dog owner. “