Remy

16 month, blue-brindle, female pitbull. 40-45 lbs who will be coming in heat anytime now. If you’re interested, please email me. Thank you. Rehoming fee of $250 obo.

That’s how a recent post read on Craigslist. But it left me with a few questions like……. If she’s such a good girl, why are you getting rid of her? Is she usually tied out on such a short chain and with no water in her bowl? Does that mean she doesn’t get exercised and isn’t socialized? Why is she not spayed? Did you breed her or were you just too cheap or too ignorant to ensure she couldn’t have pups, especially by some stray who might mount her while she’s tied outside?

The most pertinent question, of course, is why did you get a dog in the first place?

Here’s another…..

Cute dog needs a good home!

4 month Golden Retriever/Boxer needs a good home!

He is crate trained and is a very active puppy. He can already sit, shake, and lay down. He is more of an inside dog and does not run off when you take him outside. Needs a home where he can be inside most of the time and not tied up! $25 rehoming fee to let us know that you are serious about keeping him.

For crying out loud, he’s just four months old! And the way he’s dressed I’d say he was a Christmas puppy so somebody really put a lot of thought into this (note the biting sarcasm) because 9 weeks ago you had to know you couldn’t afford a dog! Or is it just that you didn’t think? You didn’t think that puppies chew, they need to be house-trained, they need time and effort and patience! You didn’t think that this is a living creature and by bringing him into your home you would be making a lifetime commitment; that a puppy is not like an old rag that you use for a while then throw away.

Oh, and by the way, how much did you pay for this pup? Must have been less than $25 if you think that’s all it takes to find someone “serious about keeping him”.

And here’s a slightly different one….

3 year old white dove w/ cage and stand

Beautiful white dove 3 years old handled by a 9 year, who has a very busy after school schedule. so he would be better off with someone who has more time to love him. small re homing fee.

Come on! You had the bird before the kid’s schedule “got busy”.  A captive dove can live for 12 – 15 years. It was pretty unrealistic if you thought your then six-year-old would care for the creature through college age; you should have been prepared (and willing) to pick up all the slack before you brought the dove home.

OK, you see what I’m getting at here. When you get a pet, it’s for the life of the pet. Just ’cause your girlfriend moves in with her rottweiler who doesn’t get along with the hound that’s given you love and loyalty for the last four years you don’t just chuck the hound out! Try training! (By the way, I wonder if the girlfriend will give love and loyalty for four years).

Because your kid whines about wanting a pet don’t wimp out and just get one. Do your due diligence and help your child understand what it takes to care for an animal.

When it becomes inconvenient to care for your two 12-year-old cats that have been with you since kittenhood because you want to spend time on the road with your new boyfriend, you don’t euthanize them with the excuse that “they’ve had a good life anyway”. (Yes, I used to know someone who actually did this).

Of course, there are people who are beset with genuine hardship, who do everything possible to keep their pets. And if it truly does become impossible, they do everything they can to ensure they find a wonderful new home including, perhaps, putting an ad on Craigslist. Shelters and rescue organizations also use Craigslist and it can be a great resource for prospective pet parents.

“You become responsible forever for what you have tamed” ~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Adopting a rabbit, a ferret, a bird, a hamster, or even an iguana from an animal shelter or rescue means you just might be saving two lives: The life of your new pet and the life of another unwanted, neglected, or abused pet who now has the chance for rescue because a new spot at the shelter or the rescue has opened.

Kovu the ferret

This sweet little rescued ferret is in need of a home. He’s available right now from Broward Ferret Rescue but you can find many more needy critters like him at peftinder.com.

Many have discovered the joys of adopting a rescued pet but the fact is, adopting a small animal or bird from a shelter or rescue can prove challenging. Before you head to your nearest shelter or rescue, there are several things you’ll want to take into consideration:

• Do you and your family have the time and the patience that is needed to care for an animal who has gone through trauma? For example, if you adopt a bird who is pulling out her feathers and who is depressed, do you have the patience and the time that is required to help rehabilitate her? Or, will you remain calm when your newly adopted hamster takes a bite out of your hand when you’re trying to pet him?

• Are you really prepared for the work that is involved with an abused pet? Or, are you adopting because the pet’s story has pulled at your heart strings? Whether you are considering adopting an abused or neglected guinea pig or ferret or another type of animal, you must be prepared to care for her her entire life and to realize that it’s a big and expensive commitment. Many small animals have been traumatized by being abandoned or left to fend for themselves and will be untrusting at first. And, there is no guarantee that your new family member will ever completely trust you.

• Do you have children? Many times shelters and rescues will advise against rescue pets, such as rabbits and ferrets, going to homes with children.

• Are you ready for the financial responsibility? Unlike dogs and cats, small animal and avian veterinarian care can be extremely expensive, and you may find it difficult to find a qualified vet. Can you afford the cost of the care that your pet may need in the long-term?

• Many times you will not know your new pet’s background and it may take considerable time for them to learn to trust you. In some cases, they may never be the cuddly pet that you expected when you adopted them. Can you live with that?

If you’re not sure whether you and your family are ready to adopt a rescue animal, consider talking with the rescue or animal shelter to determine if you can foster the pet.  Fostering will give you the opportunity to see if you and the pet are a good match and if you can handle any problems she may have.

Because many shelter and rescue pets have been abandoned, neglected or abused, it is essential that you really think about whether adopting a rescue rabbit, guinea pig, hamster, bird, or iguana is right for your family. Bringing home a pet then returning her to the shelter or the rescue will only cause more trauma in her life.

“Everyone’s pet is the most outstanding. This begets mutual blindness.” – Jean Cocteau