A Long Island dog lover is trying to find homes for 20 abandoned chihuahuas.
The tiny canines were taken in recently from other shelters by no-kill Precious Pups Rescue in Calverton, LI.
This Christmas season — always a busy time in the chihuahua-rescue business — was particularly big this time around, according to Precious Pups.
The shelter’s operatory said they receive chihuahuas all the time, but were sent 32 in one shipment alone on Dec. 13.
“We’ll do anything we can to get them saved,” said Precious Pups founder and operator Laura Zambito.
The need to find homes for these adorable little creatures is at its highest after Christmas because of short-sighted shoppers gave chihuahuas as gifts — only to have the four-legged fashion accessories thrown out or turned over to shelters.
“A dog is for life, it’s not just for Christmas,” said Zambito, who regularly accepts dogs from as far away as Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Texas. “It shouldn’t be given as a gift.”
Despite years of warnings from animal advocates, shoppers still like chihuahuas as gifts.
“The chihuahuas seem to be just the one breed people think of as [a fashion] accessory,” said Zambito’s Precious Pup partner Rose Hooghkirk. “They don’t get it. It’s like telling someone not to drive after they drink, but people still do it.”
One of the chihuahuas now in their care was found wandering the streets of Mount Vernon in a pink dress and no one claimed her.
“Their numbers are rising in shelters and we’re doing everything we can … to get them out of there alive,” Zambito said.