Listen to this advertisement and you’ll reasonably assume that what’s for sale is something forlorn, lonely, cute and cuddly … a stray puppy, perhaps.

“They’ve been mistreated and misunderstood for generations,” the ad begins. “Abusive owners have done severe damage and given these beautiful creatures a bad reputation.”

That’s how it’s supposed to sound. The owner of PRK Arms in Fresno, Calif., brainstormed this brilliant way to sell guns — and, so far, it’s worked. According to a news report from Fresno’s CBS 47 news, the gun shop has seen more business this holiday season than ever before. Among the many new customers are a surprising number of women, who are buying guns in record numbers, according to gun store owners.

No surprise there, really. What woman could resist this pitch?

“You can make a difference by giving a gun a loving home,” the ad says. “These guns want nothing more than to adore and protect you. So, please, have a heart. … PRK Arms has the kinds of guns that need a loving home more than anything else — like AK-47s, Glocks and the biggest selection of AR-15s in Fresno.”

Not surprisingly, the ad has stirred controversy, with some anti-gun activists objecting to the ad’s supposedly misleading nature. But I’d argue that what the ad states is true: Guns are designed as much for defensive protection as for offensive harm. And I agree, too, with what one woman says in the video: Learn how to use one and the scary factor fades.

Obviously, the potential for mishap exists, and gun safety should always be the first priority of a gun owner. But that doesn’t mean guns have no place on a holiday shopping list. The “peace of mind” that comes from a security system — whether a motion-triggered alarm or a well-stocked gun cabinet — is surely a welcome present.