ITV This Morning viewers slam 'thick' office worker after he buys puppy for colleague in office secret Santa

Francesca Gillett15 December 2017

A worker has faced widespread criticism after giving his colleague a puppy as an office secret Santa present.

Charity the Dogs Trust told viewers of ITV’s This Morning programme that the bungling employee gave the cocker spaniel, named Elf, to an unsuspecting co-worker after their Christmas party.

The puppy was abandoned a day later, a representative for the charity revealed live on air.

Scores of viewers were left baffled and outraged by the decision to buy a puppy as a secret Santa gift, as presenter Philip Schofield called it a “thick”.

Reasons why owners have given up dogs after Christmas

according to the Dogs Trust

'I won a free holiday and I couldn’t take my dogs with me'

'I’m a vegetarian but he always wanted to eat meat'

'I got him as a secret Santa present'

'She was too friendly and wanted to greet every dog and human we met on a walk'

'He was panting too much'

'He didn’t like it when we played dress up'

'She sleeps in her own bed all night – I thought she would want to sleep in my bed'

“Unbelievably we got a call a couple of weeks ago from an owner who’d been to their Christmas party, had bought their secret Santa gift for their friend as they were, and then opened theirs to find it was a small spaniel puppy,” said Maria Wickes, from the Dogs Trust.

“So that’s Elf here. As gorgeous as he is, the owner thought about it overnight, gave us a ring and said, ‘look, I’m just not ready to have a puppy in my life’.”

Host Mr Schofield said: “Obviously it was a very thoughtful person who thought they were giving a lovely gift, but what a thick thing to do.”

It comes as the Dogs Trust continues their festive campaign, reminding people of the old slogan: “A dog is for life, not just for Christmas.”

Following last Christmas, the charity received a call every five minutes from people looking to give up their new pets, with shocking reasons including “he was panting too much” and “she was too friendly”.

Elf has now been adopted into his 'forever home'.
ITV/This Morning

On social media, people hit back at the person who bought puppy Elf.

“What sort of eejit gives a dog as a secret Santa gift?” asked one person on Twitter, while someone else added: “Shame on those who dumped that lovely puppy.”

Kelly Nicolson added: “Getting a dog isn’t something to do on a whim. Who would get a dog for someone’s secret Santa. Crazy.”

Elf has since been adopted and has already moved into his new home.

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