Do not give away animals
Animals don't fit on the Christmas wish list
Every year again … The festival of love and joy, the festival for children and the festival of presents.
All year round, ears are pricked up to see whether a wife, husband, child, grandma or grandpa might have a wish that could be realised as a Christmas present.
Gifts under the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve are sometimes not so interesting a few days later. If there was a living gift among the parcels, the disillusionment comes too late. Impulse purchases such as puppies, kittens, hamsters, guinea pigs or other animals cannot simply be put in the corner, but require care, species-appropriate husbandry and time. It’s a sobering realisation: I’ve always wanted a dog, but my job doesn’t allow me to combine a four-legged Christmas present with my daily routine.
Pets aren’t just cute and cuddly
Pets cost time, money and patience. Pets waiting under the Christmas tree for their new owner often mean years of responsibility. The wrong purchase with fluffy fur often becomes a burden.
Never underestimate the time that needs to be spent – especially with dogs. The long-term commitment to man’s best friend includes daily walks, feeding, grooming, visits to the vet, etc. The dog gets older, the needs change and the keeping and care becomes more time-consuming. Sudden allergies to animal hair force the recipient to act quickly and give up the animal because their own health is at risk.
Before a dog or cat moves in, there are a few points to consider soberly
The dog is a member of the family, so all family members must agree to the presence of a dog. Although it is no longer a surprise, it would be beneficial to give the dog or cat and the future pet owner the opportunity to get to know each other before moving in with the family.
Questions such as – who will take care of walking the dog in the morning, feeding and other daily chores need to be clarified.
Veterinarian, food and equipment cost money – can you afford to keep a pet without any problems? What happens to the four-legged family member when the family goes on holiday? This all sounds very unromantic, but it is important to consider in order to prevent a catastrophe.
Unthinkingly purchased or given animals end up in animal shelters or are abandoned. And all because someone should have been made happy on Christmas Eve.A little tip – it might be better to reveal the secret before Christmas Eve and recognise the reaction of the person who might receive the gift.
The Christmas miracles of Gut Aiderbichl - Lieni escaped from the butcher
Six years ago, the phone rang at the head office in Henndorf. A lady excitedly told us that Lieni, a cow, was due to be slaughtered on 24 December. Lieni ran away from the butcher as fast as the wind. She ran and ran and came to a halt in a large meadow near a village inn. There was a fence between Lieni and her rescuer. The alerted animal rescuers from Gut Aiderbichl drove off and Lieni was bought free. The butcher had his money and Lieni was allowed to live.
For all Gut Aiderbichl employees and Dieter Ehrengruber, Managing Director of Gut Aiderbichl, himself, Lieni’s rescue was the best Christmas present that was symbolically placed under the Christmas tree on 24 December 2018.
Give the gift of a risk-free sponsorship for Christmas
If you want to make people happy but don’t want to risk having to give the animal away due to lack of time, money or allergies, give the gift of a sponsorship for an animal that lives at Gut Aiderbichl. In this case, nothing can happen and you support the more than 8,000 rescued animals at Gut Aiderbichl with a symbolic sponsorship.
Many young puppies and kittens are waiting for a sponsorship – how about it?
Written by: Gisela Pschenitschnig, Gut Aiderbichl
