Smithsonian.com

Photo: pahz

One pet shop in Adelaide, Australia, is taking a stand against holiday season impulse-buys of kittens and puppies. Too many animals end up on death row, the owners said, so their shop will not sell them around Christmas time. Since the Pet Spot notified customers of its decision, its Facebook post has attracted more than 800 comments and around 20,000 likes, News.com.au reports.

This seemingly drastic decision is based on good intentions. Around Christmas time, the Pet Spot receives about 20 calls a day from people wanting to buy gift puppies. But many customers who buy pets during the holiday season are ill-equipped for the responsibility they are signing up for, the Pet Spot owners said, and they often wind up dumping their pets at shelters shortly after the Christmas season. In Australia, more than half the kittens that wind up in shelters are euthanized, while about one in three puppies are put down.

Rather than sell cute animals during this season, the pet shop decided to refer its customers to the rescue shelters. The local RSPA confirms that it’s constantly inundated with unwanted dogs, cats and even rabbits.

“(Selling puppies at Christmas) we believe encourages impulse buying and contributes to many animals being dumped afterwards so to all followers who genuinely want the wonderful addition of a pet for Xmas please contact the numerous rescue groups who I am sure will be pleased to help you find your pet,” Pet Spot owner told News.com.au. ”I know this (Facebook) post may come across as a little rude, perhaps, but we are trying to promote and achieve responsible pet ownership.”

Read more articles about the holidays with our Smithsonian Holiday Guide here

More from Smithsonian.com:

Cats as Pets and Predators 
Wild Animals Are Not Pets