Rehoming your pet can be one of the toughest choices a pet owner can make, but in these challenging economical times, rehoming your pet might become necessary. Transferring to a new job, renting a new apartment, changes in your family like the birth of a new baby, the development of certain medical conditions, and even a tighter household budget can result in the necessity of rehoming your pet. In addition, certain pets may be unsuitable for owners who were unaware or even naïve to the pet’s inability to appropriately blend with their owners’ living situation.
Whatever the cause for rehoming your pet, there are many reasons why you should be cautious. Not everyone responding to your ad for rehoming your pet have that animal’s best interests in mind. The following are individuals to look out for and the warning signs to keep in mind when rehoming your pet. To prevent your pet from ending up in the wrong hands, it is vital to investigate the potential new owners, commit them to an adoption application and contract, insist on an adoption fee, gather future vetting information, qualify the living status, microchip the animal, and pay attention to the types of questions a potential adopter asks.
Investigation of the potential new owner starts online. Separately input the responding individual’s email address, name, and when possible handle alias into a search engine and see what message boards they frequent, if they have any online presence, and if they have placed advertisements on pet adoption boards in the past. A lot of information can be gained by simple online detective work, and it can save you a lot of heartache in the future.
Committing a potential adopter to an application and/or a contract will help weed out the unsuitable or unprepared homes for your pet while helping you get to know the applicant a little better. A complete application should include:
Full Name
Address
Phone Number
Number and Age of Everyone Living in the Applicant’s Home
Number, age, and Type of All Pets Living in the Applicant’s Home
Whether the Applicant Has Ever Owned the type of Pet You are Trying to Adopt Out (for special breeds)
Whether the Applicant’s Current Pets are Spayed and Vetted with Full Vaccinations
Whether the Applicant Has Ever Had to Give a Pet Up Before and if so, why
The Applicant’s Vet Name and Phone Number
References
Whether the Applicant Rents or Owns his or her Own Home and if Renting the Pet Policy
Why the Potential Adopter Would Like to Adopt the Pet
Whether the Applicant Feels they Can Financially Afford the Care of the Pet
In addition to all of the previous information, the contract should indicate a sworn statement that if the adopter should ever be unable to continue to care for the pet or if circumstances arise that the pet should need rehomed, the adopter will return the pet to you. The contract itself should state the following terms:
The new owner agrees that they are not adopting the pet for a person other than those listed on the application.
Ownership of the adopted pet is not transferrable.
The new owner agrees to care for and provide for their new pet for the rest of its natural life. Or, in the event this is no longer possible, will return said animal to its previous owners or a qualified non-kill humane association.
The new owner agrees to purchase appropriate and an adequate amount of food and supplies including but not limited to leashes, flea control, worming medications, and all other products to keep the animal healthy and comfortable.
The new owner shall not own so many animals as to make their current and adopted pets uncomfortable or neglected.
The new owner shall not use the adopted animal for an illegal, cruel, or immoral purpose.
The new owner agrees to provide proper vetting including but not limited to annual check ups, vaccinations, and all necessary emergency care.
If the adopted animal is a cat, the new owner agrees not to declaw the pet or have its voice box silenced.
If the animal is not yet altered, the new owner agrees to get the animal spayed or neutered before sexual maturity.
The new owner agrees the animal will be an indoor pet, not an outdoor animal and if a dog, they will not place him on a chain or tether unattended.
The new owner will follow all regulations pertaining to keeping the pet including rabies vaccinations, licenses, and rules regarding the neighborhood in which the pet is housed.
You may decide to include clauses for age of family members in the case of fragile, elderly, or very active pets.
Insisting on an adoption fee when rehoming your pet is not to make any sort of a profit or to reimburse the expenses of owning your pet. When you offer a pet free to a good home, the potential for a negative outcome is too great to ignore. Free pets are often considered disposable. Dog fighting, the laboratory industry, people who make money adopting free pets to charge a rehoming fee to potential adopters, and even inexperienced dog owners who can not afford or are unqualified to adopt from other sources are all individuals attracted to a free pet. Charging a moderate rehoming fee will dissuade those looking to use the animal for purposes other than a forever home.
Asking about a potential adopter’s experiences with their previous pet’s veterinarian and making sure they have a vet in mind before deciding to bring a new pet into their family are essential ways to indicate whether the animal will have adequate veterinary care in the future. Be sure to contact the veterinary office and mention that you are considering the adoption.
The living status of a potential adopter is very important. Do they live in a house or an apartment? What are the pet restrictions of the area? Is there room for a new pet? Does the home look safe? Are there children and if so, do they look like a good match for the pet? Are there a lot of other pets? Does it look like the potential adopter lied on any of their application? It is essential to answer all of these questions through in-person observation. Be prepared to ask questions about the living situation is something questionable is obvious to you.
When you purchase a microchip and include your information with the registration, in most cases you will be notified if your former pet ends up at a humane association, laboratory, pound, animal control, or rescue. This is a lifesaver for many pets who end up unfortunately dumped when things don’t work out with the new owner. Microchipping your pet prior to adoption will add the assurance that if the pet is lost, it will have a better chance of not being destroyed by animal control.
Paying attention to the types of questions a potential adopter might ask will hint to the true intentions of the individual. The correct questions from a potential adopter will often weed out those who might not have your pet’s best interest at heart. Individuals who do not ask many questions about the pet could be collector/hoarders, flippers (adopt free pets and resell for adoption fee profits), dog fighters, or simply people who are not ready for pet adoption.The following questions should be asked by any potential adopter:
What kind of grooming habits has the pet experienced? Do they nip the groomer? Love to be brushed?
Who was their previous veterinarian? Do they have a veterinary record or file? Have they ever had an accident or medical emergency?
If the thought of rehoming your pet seems overwhelming, perhaps the best option would be to find the proper no-kill shelter willing to take in your pet and make sure the right method is followed to prevent disaster. Proper rescues are better equipped for rehoming your pet the right way and will be sure not to adopt them to the wrong types of people. But like potential adopters, rescues should be also scrutinized. Good luck in your tough decision. Though difficult, rehoming your pet carefully is one of the best ways of assuring safety and future happiness.
