A HEARTBREAKING festive advert from the Dogs Trust that shows a pup dumped with the rubbish on the roadside is urging shoppers to think twice before buying a pet for Christmas.
The warning comes as the national welfare charity revealed that internet searches for puppies soar by 44 per cent in the build up to December.
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At the beginning of the minute-long clip you hear a family playing with a small animated dog made from bottle corks around the Christmas dinner table.
The heartwarming scene sees Corkie leaping over a sprig of holly, nudging a Brussels sprout with his nose and roll in a gravy spillage.
But come the next day, the pup is swept away with the rubbish and dumped in a box on the street outside the house.
It’s not until he pops his head up among the used wrapping paper to peep out of the box that you realise Corkie’s a real dog who’s been abandoned by his owners.
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Eventually, the pooch is rescued and taken to the Dogs Trust where he’s looked after by the charity’s dedicated team.
The advert acts as a stark reminder that pets stick around far longer than the festive season so might not make an appropriate Christmas gift.
The charity revealed that it receives a call every six minutes from owners who want to give up their pups.
Research by the Dogs Trust also found that internet searches for “get a dog” go up by 27 per cent in the run-up to the gift-giving season.
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Pugs, Rottweilers and French bulldogs are the most sought-after breed at this time of year.
The charity’s top boss, Owen Sharp, said: “It’s very easy to pick a puppy at the click of a button but dogs don’t come with a gift receipt.
“We take calls all-year-round from people who feel they have no choice but to give up their dog.
“It can be heart-breaking, even if an owner knows they are doing the right thing.”
He added: “Dog ownership is wonderful, and we aren’t saying “don’t get a dog”.
“We’re just asking that people are sure they are ready for the long-term commitment that comes with it.”
Other Christmas adverts to look out for include Amazon’s which has been dubbed the “best ad seen on TV so far” by fans.
Aldi has also launched it’s festive advert and Kevin the Carrot is back for the fourth year.
But the big one – the John Lewis advert – still hasn’t been released but you can check back here for all of the latest rumours on who it will star.
