Dogs Trust Dogs Choose a Toy for Santa Paws Day

Every year, we film the most anticipated video of the year – the dogs in our care celebrating Santa Paws Day. The annual tradition involves lining up hundreds of generously donated dog toys in our rehoming centre in Dublin and allowing the dogs to choose their own Christmas present.  

Currently, we have over 200 dogs at our rehoming centre, many of whom are patiently waiting on finding their forever home. Watching the dogs pick out their own toys—one by one—is a heartwarming glimpse into their boundless excitement on the day. The adorable video not only highlights each dog’s unique personality but also offers a showcase of some of the dogs currently available for adoption.

For example, Elvis the Collie made sure to give every toy a careful ‘sniff-spection’ before running back to pick the very first toy he deemed his favourite.  Meanwhile, in true “big dog’’ style, Tegan, a gentle giant, selected the smallest toy of the bunch and brought it straight to her favourite carer to play with. Giving dogs the choice of so many toys and allowing them to decide how to interact with them is incredibly enriching for their lives. It also has the added bonus of bringing big smiles to everyone who bears witness to the sheer joy.

So far this year, we have helped to find loving homes for over 800 dogs. Unfortunately, work in the space remains challenging, and we have recieved over 3,000 requests from people looking to surrender dogs into our care in 2024. Some of the most common reasons behind the surrender requests were behaviour and accommodation issues, and owners struggling to find enough time to care for their dog.

Communications Manager at Dogs Trust Ireland, Paulina Padlo says: ‘’While we remain worried by the high number of dog surrender and abandonment cases, Santa Paws Day continues to bring a lot of joy to Dogs Trust staff and many of our supporters, and of course, the dogs in our care. It’s truly heartwarming to see the dogs enjoying their special day, picking out their Christmas gifts, and simply being dogs. It’s a powerful reminder of the joy they bring to our lives and the fact that they all deserve a chance at finding loving homes where they can flourish.’’

With over 200 dogs to care for throughout the festive period, we are asking for the public's support this Christmas.