Chicago, Illinois - The new year is here, and Christmas seems as if it occurred ages ago. As many people are busy getting rid of gifts they didn't vibe with, heartbreak came knocking for a sugary sweet puppy named Winnie.

The canine companion was handed over to The Anti-Cruelty Shelter in Chicago following the holidays after it was gifted to someone who didn't ask for, and was not ready to take care of, a puppy.

In a heartbreaking TikTok video, the initial recipient of the dog addressed the public while gently holding the sweet pup in her arms.

The video, which has already received 1.6 million views since it was uploaded, was captioned: "Please be responsible. Don't give out pets as gifts to someone who didn't ask for one or [hasn't] done research on how to care for it. This bean ended up on the shelter."

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Speaking to Newsweek, Rachel Klousnitzer, an employee at The Anti-Cruelty Shelter, commented on the sad story.

She cautioned, "We encourage the public to not give animals as gifts without discussing it with the recipient. Gifting an animal as a surprise is a lifelong commitment that all parties need to be prepared for and educated about.

Animals are surrendered at shelters across the US after the holidays because the people receiving the gift don't understand how much time and care an animal needs, Klousnitzer said.

"We encourage members of the community to visit our shelter and speak with our knowledgeable staff about our animals and what they entail before adopting," the staff member added.

The bottom line is that a pet should only be given as a gift if the other party is prepared to take care of one and specifically requested it. Otherwise, many hearts are likely to break – including that of the innocent animal.