With only a couple of weeks until Christmas, Launceston Animal Care Centre manager Lorraine Hamilton said the centre was still receiving requests for dog and cat boarding. 

Inquiries to about a dozen dog boarding facilities around Launceston city revealed all facilities are completely booked out over the Christmas period. 

Ms Hamilton said there was a big misconception that pets were only abandoned after the festive season. 

"Everyone seems to think that come Boxing Day, that is when people decide they don't want to be a pet owner anymore," she said. 

"In reality it is quite convenient for people to just drop an animal off at the shelter and then go off on their holiday. 

"Unfortunately this is something we see a lot."

Ms Hamilton said another big misconception surrounds the belief that pets should never be gifted as Christmas presents, with research from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals showing no difference in an owner’s attachment to their pet, whether given as a gift or not.

However Ms Hamilton warned it was still important that people understood what they were taking on when deciding to become pet owners. 

“I don’t think there is a problem with parents getting their child a pet for Christmas,” she said.

“Summer is actually a great time to introduce a dog to a home because usually people have time off work, the kids are off school and they can spend time with it.

“I think the danger lies in when people, say distant relatives, make that decision on behalf of a family and gift them a dog as a surprise. 

“The parents or whoever is responsible needs to be in a position to take on the costs and understanding you might be responsible for this animal for 15 years.”

This Christmas the Launceston Animal Care Centre has placed stockings on the kennels of cats and dogs available for adoption, with people encouraged to visit and leave a donation.