The Dublin Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (DSPCA), Ireland’s leading animal welfare charity, is currently at full capacity with almost 250 animals in its care waiting for adoption.
These animals include 120 dogs; 43 rabbits; 63 cats; 13 guinea pigs; two snakes; two donkeys to mention but a few.
So far this year, the shelter has received over 300 surrender requests from people wishing to rehome their pets.
To raise vital funds and reinforce the message that adopting an animal should be a well-considered decision that fits each person’s lifestyle, the DSPCA has launched its ‘Furrever Friends’ plush toy collection.
This collection includes a variety of animals from dogs to cats, rabbits to reptiles, and each ‘Furrever Friend’ comes with an educational leaflet offering guidance on responsible pet adoption and care for each animal.
The toys are designed to showcase that a pet requires care, attention and commitment and highlights key factors to consider before adoption, such as species, temperament and lifestyle.
“We see a lot of cases of pets being surrendered because families weren’t fully prepared or aware of the commitment involved,” said Tanya Clarke, Head of Dog Operations at the DSPCA. “Our ‘Furrever Friends’ plush toys provide a way for people, especially children and families, to engage with the idea of pet ownership in a responsible, thoughtful manner before making that big decision.
“We want to ensure each pet that is adopted from our shelter finds its forever home and the funds and awareness raised through this initiative will help us reach our goal and continue to care for as many animals in need as possible, as well as uniting families with the perfect pet that suits their lifestyle.”
‘Furrever Friends’ are now available to purchase at www.dspca.ie/shop and 100% of proceeds go directly towards the DSPCA’s work in rescuing and rehoming animals.
