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1st February 2018
06:32pm GMT

If a pet is to be seen as an accessory as opposed to a living thing or even a member of the family, the pet won't be appropriately looked after.
Even smaller animals like rabbits and guinea pigs are often seen as 'easier' pets - they'll sit in a cage, eat some food, and be adorable on cue.
And they will - but they'll also require attention, want to be played with, and need to feel like they haven't been abandoned.
Not dissimilar to the spike in dog adoptions in the lead up to the festive season, there tends to be a significant increase in rabbit adoptions before Easter.
They're taken, they're played with, and they're looked at for a while until children get bored, teenagers get enough Instas, and parents get sick of hearing tiny teeth nibble at cage bars they've been locked behind.
Rabbits are let loose into the wild, under the assumption that they'll be able to fend for themselves. Dogs are neglected, locked inside, and eventually dropped back to the rehoming centres they came from. Cats are left to roam the streets in the hope that some other family will unofficially take them on, one little dish of milk at a time.
PJ the Jack Russell terrier is getting the care he needs to get on with his life, but there are so many more pets who won't get that chance.
If you're unsure about getting a pet, maybe foster one for a while.
Look after a friends or a family members and see how it goes and, more importantly, see if you get bored.
And if you won't be able to look after a dog properly, just don't adopt one. Let someone else give that pet the care and attention they need.
PJ and all the rest of the lads will thank you in the long run.
Feature image via Dogs Trust. Explore more on these topics: