We all left cinemas after seeing Harry Potter dreaming of owning a snowy owl or tabby cat, like Harry and Hermione. Now, Game of Thrones fans are having that same reaction to direwolves. The giant wolves are undeniably cool, but since they're also fictional, fans are turning to the next best thing: huskies. Along with being super cute, huskies are high-maintenance dogs. Many owners end up abandoning them at already-full shelters. That's why GoT star Peter Dinklage is teaming up with PETA to help bring awareness to the situation.
Since the show premiered in 2011, animal shelters and rescues have seen significant rises in abandoned husky dogs. Fans of the show want to live a real-life fantasy, but owning a dog is a lifetime commitment, not a story arc. Abandoning it after the novelty wears off hurts more dogs than one.
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"Please, to all of Game of Thrones' many wonderful fans, we understand that due to the direwolves' huge popularity, many folks are going out and buying huskies," Dinklage says. "Not only does this hurt all the deserving homeless dogs waiting for a chance at a good home in shelters, but shelters are also reporting that many of these huskies are being abandoned — as often happens when dogs are bought on impulse, without understanding their needs."
This isn't the first time PETA has seen a spike in dog abandonments. Beverly Hills Chihuahua and Legally Blonde are two previous, notable pegs. Nearly 6 million dogs and cats are left at animal shelters each year and half of them are euthanised. Adopting pets, instead of buying them, can help save lives.
Dinklage urges fans: "Please, please, if you're going to bring a dog into your family, make sure that you're prepared for such a tremendous responsibility and remember to always, ALWAYS, adopt from a shelter."
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