ANIMAL welfare groups in South Lakeland have reported that they have had only a few Christmas pets handed into them over the festive season, but are preparing themselves to receive more over the coming few weeks.

Hayley Kellington, Animal Rescue Cumbria, said: "Up to now we have had an extremely promising start to the New Year.

However, we do view this as our 'honeymoon period' as the novelty of having a new pet has not yet worn off.

It is usually later in the month, and into January, that we start receiving an increase in calls from people wanting to off-load the new additions.

They simply find that having a pet can be very tying, or they don't want the cost implications".

Linda Graham of Eden Animal Rescue confirmed this saying: "We have had very little so far, but experience has shown us that this will not last.

It is when the little puppies start growing up and having a chew at various things around the house that people start to think that they may have taken on more than they first bargained for.

"Unfortunately soon into the new year the young animals are no longer the cute and cuddly presents they were on Christmas morning and they find themselves heading our way.

It is a great shame that people do not fully think these things through.

Puppies grow rapidly and can very quickly become a lot to handle and a burden on the purse strings".

However, the good news is that over the South Lakeland area, the RSPCA said that the abandonment of Christmas pets has significantly decreased over the past 10 years.

Ruth Pedley of the RSPCA said: "It is too early to say whether this has been a good or bad year as many dogs will be dumped once they are no longer puppies.

We accept that we will get a certain amount of pets handed into our various centres, and indeed to other organisations, but the public seems to be much better informed, and we just don't see the volume of unwanted animals that we used to.

Hopefullt this trend will continue this year."