By Yona Zeldis McDonough for WebVet
Putting a pet up for adoption can be a very painful experience. Death, divorce, financial crisis, onset of illness or allergy, a new apartment that doesn’t allow pets -- all these are reasons why even the most loving owners sometimes have to say goodbye. But there are more and less responsible ways of giving up a pet. Laurie Bleier, the director of the Brooklyn Animal Foster Network , a grassroots no-kill foster and adoption service that currently has close to 500 families in its roster, offers these tips to ensure that the animal will find a safe, happy home—even if it’s not yours.
Dos and don’ts for the pet adoption process:
- Don’t assume that a dog can be placed in a no-kill shelter; most no-kill facilities are so full that they can't accept pets, but instead save their precious resources for abandoned animals or those already on the euthanasia list.
- Do place posters in the offices of local veterinarians, the humane society or animal shelter if they will allow it. Place a local ad on CraigsList.com. Local placement means a smoother transition for the pet. Plus, it makes visiting easier.
- Don’t place an ad in the paper for a free dog or cat. Undesirable responses might come from fighting dog trainers, who train dogs to be killers by using live animals as targets.
- Do screen potential adopters very carefully. Find out if they've had pets before and why they want a new pet.
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