Mariah Carey has received this year’s “Angel for Animals” award from the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, thanks to her new animated film “All I Want for Christmas Is You”.
In its announcement, PETA points to the plot of the heartwarming family film — on which Carey serves as exec producer in addition to providing music and narration — which tells the story of a young girl who adopts a homeless dog from an animal shelter, learning to treat her new pet with patience and understanding.
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“Mariah Carey is PETA’s hero for homeless animals for encouraging families to adopt from their local shelter,” says PETA Senior Vice President Lisa Lange in the award announcement.
“Her holiday film reminds us all that caring for an animal is a responsibility, not just a fantasy — but the one sweet day when you meet the dog who will always be your baby and you know that you belong together,” adds Lange.
As PETA reminds us, each year more than 6 million dogs and cats in the U.S. wind up in animal shelters, with half of these animals euthanized because there are no homes for them.
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“For every cat or dog bought from a pet store or breeder, one in a shelter loses his or her chance of finding a home — and every year after the holidays, animal shelters see a spike in homeless animals as families find themselves unable to care for the puppies and kittens that they purchased as gifts,” states PETA in its announcement.
Instead of buying a dog or cat from a pet store or breeder, PETA recommends instead giving a gift certificate to a local shelter; once the holiday whirlwind has died down, the whole family can go there together to choose “a companion for life.”