"Animals are not gifts, Christmas or not"

A dog from the animal shelter as a last-minute gift? Animal welfare activists strongly advise against this. "Animals are not gifts, Christmas or not," said the first chairman of the Saxony Animal Protection Association and managing director of the Leipzig animal shelter, Michael Sperlich, on request.

Animal shelters stop placements

The holidays in particular are an exceptional situation for many people. Many are on vacation and have more time. If you want to get a pet now, you need to think carefully about it. "We generally only place pets with final owners. This means that we always try to prevent the animals from being passed on," said Sperlich.

Some facilities announced a freeze on placements shortly before Christmas, including the animal shelters in Chemnitz, Eilenburg and Oelzschau. At the Chemnitz animal shelter, animals are only placed in exceptional cases, for example if a partner animal dies and the other animal is otherwise left alone. The regulation applies there until January 3, 2026.

Adoption as a Christmas present

In addition to ill-considered purchases, significantly increased veterinary costs are also a problem, said Sperlich. How can animal shelters be supported? "You can never go wrong with monetary donations, of course", said Sperlich. Animal sponsorships are also a good idea for a Christmas present.

Food donations are not always helpful. This is because some animals have intolerances or allergies and need special food from a vet. "Monetary donations and sponsorships are what ultimately help the most."