In the past week, there have been the following posts:
1. Offer: Older black GSD x Chow who’s NOT good with other animals, and who is getting crankier with age. Why do people think it’s okay to pass off a potentially dangerous animal?
2. Offer: 7 year old male tuxedo cat, being rehomed because it keeps “getting on the new baby,” and the owner “doesn’t like it.” I can’t even imagine how that’s allowed to be a problem. Have they not considered restricting the cat’s range until the kid is a little older?
3. Offer: 2.5 year old timid male Beagle mix, being rehomed because the family doesn’t have enough time for him. I hope he does find a better home, but I just don’t understand why people get pets when they clearly don’t understand how much work they are.
4. Offer: MinPin x Beagle x Pug, good with kids and other animals. Owner does not have time for him.
5. Offer: Rainbow kittens! (Seriously. One is pink? I have no idea what that means.)
6. Offer: Female St. Bernard, very aggressive toward other animals. Again, why on earth does the owner think that it’s okay to pass off a (huge!) and potentially dangerous animal? (The woman getting rid of the St. Bernard is now looking for a smaller bed.)
7. Offer: Two Basset x Pomeranian x Dachshunds (male and female). They were Christmas presents that “got too big.” They were supposed to be 15 lbs, but are more like 50 lbs. Yes, that’s a huge difference, but what do people expect when they give mixed breed puppies as gifts? They should expect to be surprised.
The female has been spayed, but the male is intact. They are “too big to handle.” I expect the more accurate assessment would be that they are untrained and therefore hard to handle. Size has bupkis to do with it, if the dog has even a little bit of training.
8. Offer: 8 year old MinPin. She’s shy and apparently not good with kids.
I realize that crap happens, and I realize that people’s circumstances can change drastically. In those cases, people might have to rehome their pets. But if you’re getting rid of an animal because you underestimated how much of your time it would need, or if you “don’t like” its behavior (training and management, folks!), then you screwed up.
On the other hand, if you’re responsible and moderately clueful about evaluating temperament, this is one way to get a potentially awesome pet. God only knows what the true reasons are for these folks getting rid of their animals, and their loss could be your gain. I got Harriet from similar circumstances, and though she’s not anything like perfect, she’s been a wonderful dog.
And, lastly,
7. Wanted: “I’m looking for a good horse and a pony thanks…” And that was the entirety of the post. Good luck with that!
red paper boat 