Sir, - An article by Marianne Hartigan (Education & Living, November 9th), entitled "Only an old pet", described the advantages as well as the responsibilities associated with pet ownership and was essentially directed at the parents of young children.
There was much worthwhile practical advice on how to make an informed choice and avoid the most common mistakes. The ensuing benefits for the child's development were clearly enunciated and the parents were advised on how to train their offspring to assume responsibility for the animal's care. The impression created was one of understanding and sensitivity, epitomised in the sentence: "They need to understand that they are living, feeling creatures, not toys."
However, I must take you to task on the unwise association created between Christmas and pets. Not content with prefacing the article with the phrase "a puppy for Christmas", you included a large photograph of an attractive puppy sitting among the decorations under a Christmas tree.
It is short-sighted in the extreme to offer an animal as a Christmas present to a child. Not alone does it create the impression that this is another toy, but the animal is unlikely to get the undivided attention it requires in the early days of its adoption because of the nature of Christmas itself with all its noisy distractions. More pets are brought to pounds or abandoned to a life of starvation and disease each year in early January than at any other time of year.
We appeal to all responsible adults, especially parents, teachers and the mass media to help us in our campaign against the wanton exploitation of innocent animals offered as Christmas presents, so that next January may not witness the heartbreaking repetition of previous ones. - Yours, etc., Mary Muldoon,
Vice-Chairman, Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Castlebar Road, Westport, Co Mayo.