ADVICE ON PLACING A PET
HOW TO FIND A LOVING, RESPONSIBLE HOME FOR YOUR DOG OR CAT
First, make sure the dog is neutered and all vaccinations—such as Distemper, Hepatitis, Leptospirosis, and Parvo—are up to date. For cats, make sure the animal is neutered and all vaccinations—such as Feline Distemper, Rhinotracheitis, Calici, Psittaci, and Leukemia (which come in a combination shot)—are up to date. Also, your dog or cat is undoubtedly on a flea prevention routine, so check that out, too. When you get his or her last shots from the vet, please have him or her tested for worms, also.
Now, the dog or cat is ready to find a new, responsible home. Please become an enthusiastic sales person when you are ready to sell your animal. Don’t say something like "cute 6-year old dog free to loving home?" First of all, each mixed-breed dog is a combination of two or more breeds. So, it is of utmost importance that you inform the prospective owner how big the dog is and what his/her heritage is. Let’s say that most dogs are Labrador mixes…. If the dog looks like a Labrador, say "Labrador mostly;" otherwise, because people always want to know what the mix is-Lab/Shepard, Lab/Cocker, Lab/Husky, and so on-it would be good practice to describe the dog in this format. Never use more than two breeds for a dog because that can confuse people.
WHERE TO ADVERTISE
Please seek out mass circulation papers nearest you and advertise your dog or cat ad there for a week or so. Always state the breed of the dog or cat you have first, then the age, and the size of the dog or cat. It is always a good idea to give a reason why the dog or cat is available; for example, the owner's ill, family is allergic to the animal, family is moving overseas, and so on are some examples.
A "FREE" ANIMAL IS A WORTHLESS ANIMAL
If you give an animal away for free, you are most-likely saying since it is "free" it is of no value. Ninety percent of all "free to good home" animals wind up in dog fighting rings or in laboratories for experiments. The other ten percent get animals not because they really want one, but because s/he is free. Then when there is a need for shots or neutering (in the case of baby animals) or some other problem, they will simply abandon them somewhere to die slowly or violently.
WHAT IS A GOOD HOME?
In a nutshell, a good home is that of a pet owner who has an excellent track record of taking care of animals. Chances are that whatever happened to a pet owner's last dog or cat is going to happen to the dog or cat you are giving that pet owner. So, it is important to find a good home for your animal, and please assess each potential home owner carefully; otherwise, something bad could happen to your dog or cat.
PLACE BABY ANIMALS ONLY INTO THE FOLLOWING SITUATIONS:
Please be aware about the possible hazards in giving a baby dog or cat to a potential new home family. There are a few things you should consider when giving a kitten or puppy to a new potential home:
- Make sure the potential new home has a secured, fenced yard
- Make sure small children will not "maul" their kitten or puppy
St. Francis Animal Protection Society | P.O. Box, Campbell, CA 95009
