TIPS FOR PLACING A PET
Please do the best you can for your pets. Their future is in your hands.
Some hints & suggested questions to ask people interested in your pet:
1. Take the lead during the interview with a prospective adopter; don’t let them first ask you questions about your
pet - rather, you ask them questions about themselves, and their qualifications.
2. Ask the person for their name, phone number and
address - "Bunchers" posing as prospective owners will not want to give out this information or will give you false information. Call them back to confirm they have given
you a correct phone number.
3. Ask the following questions when interviewing a perspective adopter:
* Do they have other pets, if so how many?, what kind? Will your pet get along with their other pets?
* How long have they had their other pets?
* Do they have children, if so how old are their children?
* Will they give their new pet a cat collar & ID tag?
* Who is their veterinarian? (Beware of someone who has pets but no regular veterinarian. How well will they care for their pets with no vet?)
* What has happened to pets they have had in the past (Beware of those who have lost pets because they were poisoned or killed in traffic, if they "ran away" (why?), if they died at a young age was it due to something a vet could have prevented?)
* Will they have the pet vaccinated annually?
4. Invite over only those people who pass your telephone interview. Insist that "the whole family" come to see the pet and that they are ALL kind to the pet and want it. Do NOT do third party adoptions (i.e. "It’s a surprise for my girlfriend")
5. Don’t hesitate to say "no" to someone who doesn’t "feel right," even after they have visited the pet. If “no” is difficult to say, tell them that other interested people are coming later, and you’ll call them.
6. Even after you have made a decision, be cautious. Ask to see a driver’s license and check it for its validity; be sure to write down and keep the person’s name, address and phone number.
7. You should ideally leave time to visit the home of the new owner before giving up your pet; this allows you to see the pet’s new surroundings and to see if the person in fact resides at the address given.
**NEVER abandon a pet. Abandonment is not only inhumane, it’s also against the law.**
The Tragedy of "Free To Good Home"
© Copyright 1997-2000, PetRescue.Com
Most people have good intentions when they advertise a cat or dog as "Free To Good Home". They care what happens to the animal and are not interested in making money. All they want to do is find a nice family that is willing to give the pet a loving, responsible home.
The tragedy occurs when the animal is mistakenly put into a situation where it is neglected, abandoned, abused, or even sold for lab experimentation. Sadly, this sort of thing happens thousands of times each day across America.
Giving any pet away is misguided. People tend not to value what they don't pay for. If you charge a nominal fee of $35-$45 or more for an animal, the new owner is more likely to take their commitment to the pet seriously. A free pet is a disposable pet!
Paying a fee for a pet shows good faith on the part of the new owner and demonstrates their willingness to properly care for the animal. The truth is, there is no such thing as a "free" pet anyway. By the time a cat or dog is checked out by a vet, including shots, worming, health testing, and spay/neuter, a "free" pet will easily cost in excess of $100, and that's just for starters. A responsible person who would properly take care of an animal will understand this and will not be opposed to paying a reasonable fee for a healthy pet, especially if some or all of these health items have already been taken care of.
Still not convinced? Then ask yourself these questions, "If a person cannot afford to pay an adoption fee for a pet, how will they be able to afford the normal expenses of proper pet care? And how will they ever afford vet bills when the pet gets sick?"
If you are uncomfortable with asking a fee for the pet, consider including food, toys, supplies, etc. as an added incentive. The idea is not to make a profit, but to ensure the good intentions of the new owner. In any event, the animal should be "fixed" and have its "shots" before it is adopted out and these costs alone can easily equal $45 or more. Use the adoption fee to recoup your expenses.
One final thought on this subject - if you absolutely don't want to take any money yourself, ask the adoptor to make the check out to a local animal shelter or SPCA instead. These organizations can surely use the help!
What can happen to a pet that is given free to a casual, uncommitted owner?
Abandoned to the streets. This is the most likely scenario that occurs when an uncommitted owner tires of a pet. Street animals suffer every day of their short lives. The end always comes painfully, either from violent trauma or from lingering disease.
Handed over to Animal Control and euthanized. People who do not take their responsibilities seriously always take the easy way out!
Marginally Owned. The pet will not be cared for properly and is often allowed to roam the streets.
Abused. The owner will not make the effort to properly train the animal. Often this leads to inappropriate responses from the owner and abuse of the pet when it "misbehaves".
Next, we would like you to be aware that there are dishonest people who routinely obtain animals for profit by fraudulently answering "Free To Good Home" ads. They are usually very persuasive and friendly. They know all the "right" answers to your questions because they do this sort of thing on a regular basis. Some may even bring their kids along to make you think they are a loving family!
The most important thing you can do to discourage this kind of person is to charge an adoption fee! This makes it much more difficult for them to realize a profit so they will usually not bother contacting you.
What can happen to an animal if you let one of these con artists have it?
Used to "live train" fighting dogs. The animal you expected to be a pet is used to bait a fighting dog and is literally torn to pieces.
Sold at Flea Markets or Auctions to anybody who happens along. Most of the time these animals are neglected, kept in cramped, unsanitary conditions and often become sick and diseased.
Sold to a Class-B Dealer who then resells the animal to a research facility. People who practice the despicable act of rounding up strays to sell them are referred to as "Bunchers". At the research facility, the animal may suffer abuse and most likely will be euthanized after they are finished with it.
Used for breeding stock in a "Puppy Mill". The living conditions in most of these establishments are deplorable. Bitches have continuous litters, one after the another.
Used as live food or bait for exotics like snakes or alligators.
Sacrificed in cult rituals. Some people find this hard to believe, but the FBI has many files documenting this kind of activity in our country.
Finding Prospective Homes For a Pet
VET OFFICES. You will find more good pet owners here than anywhere else! Talk to the staff. They often know of clients whose pets have died and are looking for a new one. Leave a color photo and description of the animal and your phone number on their bulletin board or at their desk.
Bulletin Boards. Post a color photo of the pet, a description, and your phone number on bulletin boards at pet stores, supermarkets, churches, schools, and other community bulletin boards.
Newspaper Classifieds. Use this traditional method of advertising, but results are generally not as good as using Vets offices and bulletin boards.Charge an adoption fee of at least $50.00.
Local Publications. Also use whatever weekly advertising magazines are available in your area, such as the Penny Saver, Treasure Chest, Bargain Weekly, etc. They are generally more inexpensive than newspapers and allow you to elaborate in your ad.Charge an adoption fee of at least $50.00.
Pet Rescue Organizations. Let local organizations know what you have available for adoption. They may help locate potential owners for a brokered adoption fee.
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CLICK ON PHONE SCREENING LINKS AT BOTTOM OF PAGE FOR IMPORTANT QUESTIONS TO ASK POTENTIAL ADOPTERS.
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How can you help to prevent these tragedies?
Convince your local newspapers to post warnings in their pet classified sections! A lot of papers across the country are already doing this.
Call "Free To Good Home" ads and warn them! Check newspapers regularly and let people know what could happen to their pet and tell them how to prevent this avoidable situation.
Advise people not to adopt out pets at Halloween! Solid black and solid white cats are especially in danger at this time of the year. Cult members and vicious pranksters are on the lookout for animal victims. It is a common practice of most shelters and rescue organizations to never adopt out black or white cats during the Halloween season.
Pass on these tips to persons who are adopting out animals:
Don't give pets away! Reference the reasons previously given in this article.
Be sure to "fix" the pet before adoption to prevent more "Free To Good Home" ads! Find out if the local humane or others will spay or neuter the animal for a reasonable cost. Use the adoption fee to recoup your money.
Use a Pet Adoption Agreement! Please don't let the animal out of your door without a signed adoption agreement! This will usually stop dishonest people in their tracks.
MORE Tips on placing your puppies or kittens
Be aware of "Bunchers"or other people seeking animals for unethical purposes. Bunchers frequently pose as prospective pet owners then sell the animals to research labs. ALWAYS carefully interview the prospective adopters. Don’t just say yes to the first person to come along...make sure they are responsible.
Some hints & suggested questions to ask people interested in your pet:
1. Take the lead during the interview with a prospective adopter; don’t let them first ask you questions about your
pet - rather, you ask them questions about themselves, and their qualifications.
2. Ask the person for their name, phone number and
address - "Bunchers" posing as prospective owners will not want to give out this information or will give you false information. Call them back to confirm they have given
you a correct phone number.
3. Ask the following questions when interviewing a perspective adopter:
* Do they have other pets, if so how many?, what kind? Will your pet get along with their other pets?
* How long have they had their other pets?
* Do they have children, if so how old are their children?
* Will they give their new pet a cat collar & ID tag?
* Who is their veterinarian? (Beware of someone who has pets but no regular veterinarian. How well will they care for their pets with no vet?)
* What has happened to pets they have had in the past (Beware of those who have lost pets because they were poisoned or killed in traffic, if they "ran away" (why?), if they died at a young age was it due to something a vet could have prevented?)
* Will they have the pet vaccinated annually?
4. Invite over only those people who pass your telephone interview. Insist that "the whole family" come to see the pet and that they are ALL kind to the pet and want it. Do NOT do third party adoptions (i.e. "It’s a surprise for my girlfriend")
5. Don’t hesitate to say "no" to someone who doesn’t "feel right," even after they have visited the pet. If “no” is difficult to say, tell them that other interested people are coming later, and you’ll call them.
6. Even after you have made a decision, be cautious. Ask to see a driver’s license and check it for its validity; be sure to write down and keep the person’s name, address and phone number.
7. You should ideally leave time to visit the home of the new owner before giving up your pet; this allows you to see the pet’s new surroundings and to see if the person in fact resides at the address given.
Please do the best you can for your pet. Their future is in your hands.
 SUNNY NEEDS A HOME! |
| PEANUT NEEDS A HOME! |
| TIPS FOR PLACING A PET |
| PET THEFT HAPPENS! |
| SPAY & NEUTER MYTHS & FACTS |
| DANGERS TO OUTDOOR PETS! |
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