EVERYONE is familiar with the phrase: ‘A dog is for life not just for Christmas’.

It is bandied around every festive season, and this year the Dogs Trust is commemorating 35 years since they coined the slogan.

In 1978 the charity estimated that 20 per cent of dogs were given as gifts, which has since reduced to less than 2 per cent, but staff at the Harefield branch of the Dogs Trust say the slogan remains as relevant today as it did 35 years ago.

Although the figure has dropped significantly, it means that about 16,000 dogs are still being purchased as gifts every year, some of which will probably end up at the centre in Harvil Road in a few months’ time.

Dogs Trust CEO, Clarissa Baldwin OBE, who invented the phrase, said: “We are incredibly proud of the impact our slogan has had in improving dog welfare, but we must never rest until we are confident that all dogs are treated the way that they should be treated – as a member of the family and not a disposable item.”