4 May 2020
Dogs Trust changes its famous slogan and asks the public “are you dog ready?” as internet searches to buy a puppy rocket during lockdown.
David Woodmansey
Job Title
Dogs Trust has changed its famous slogan – “A dog is for life, not just for Christmas” – to “A dog is for life, not just for lockdown” following a surge in online searches for pets during the COVID-19 crisis.
Britain’s biggest canine welfare charity is asking people to weigh up if they are truly ready for the realities of dog ownership before taking the leap, as searches to get dogs have shot up in the past month while the country has been advised to stay at home.
Whether people are getting a dog for companionship or because they’re around more to train them, the charity is concerned about a future spike in people giving up their dog when normality resumes and reality sinks in.
Dogs Trust said: “This is the sad reality that often follows Christmas when people also get dogs on a whim.”
With millions working from home, Google searches for “buy a puppy” have increased by 120% in the month after lockdown. “Adopt a puppy” saw an even bigger rise of 133% in online searches, according to data from Propellernet.
The charity has created an online quiz for potential new dog owners to test themselves on whether they truly are “dog-ready”.
