Guidelines For Posting In The Rescue Forum

[ARF_Katie]

From http://www.fosterdogs.org/surrender.htm

Do you want to rehome your dog?

The following table explains some of the steps you can take if you are thinking about rehoming your dog.

1. Evaluate your reasons

If you can find an alternative solution to whatever problem is preventing you from keeping your pet, it will mean one less dog that needs rescuing or rehoming. While organisations do their best, there are always far too many dogs to rescue. Please seek advice or help if you can. There is some good information available online.

See: Can We Help You Keep Your Pet

2. Try contacting the dog’s breeder

If all the available alternatives fail, and your dog is a pure bred dog from a reputable breeder, you should try to make contact with the breeder to see if they are able to take the dog back for rehoming.

3. Contact rescue groups

If the breeder can not take the dog back, try to contact a breed-related rescue group.

See: Australian Dog Rescue Links and the breed pages of this site.

4. Try to rehome the pet yourself

If you are unable to find an alternative solution or someone who can take in your pet, then you need to try and find your pet a new home yourself.

See: Finding a new home for your pet

5. Prepare your pet

It is very important to desex your pet before you rehome them. Pet overpopulation is an overwhelming problem and we all need to do what we can to prevent more unwanted animals from being born. Update the dog’s vaccinations and prepare a history of your pet. Include as much information as possible about his/her likes and dislikes, current food preferences, relationship to other animals, whether he/she likes to play with certain types of toys etc. All this information will help make the transition easier on the animal. Groom and bathe your pet so that he/she looks their best.

6. Take a good photo

A picture speaks a thousand words. When you take a photograph, use a background that is in contrast to the animal in order to highlight his/her best features. Keep it simple and clear with few background distractions.

Use a person, a hand or some other means to show the scale of the pet. Take the time to get a calm relaxed photo that does not present the pet as aggressive or scared.

7. Advertise

Place an advertisement in the your local newspaper and on Internet advertising boards such as:

http://www.ozpets.com.au/cgi/classifieds/classlist.pl

http://www.dogmatch.com.au/

http://allclassifieds.com.au/c/ac?a=bc&i=41

http://www.petlink.com.au/Dogs/Finding_a_N...oard/index.html

Note:Do not advertise your dog as free to good home. Ask a small fee to discourage uncommitted and unscrupulous people from responding to your advertisement. You can always donate the money to your favorite charity if you feel uncomfortable about accepting money. Run the ad several times. You are looking to reach a wide audience.

8. Prepare a good flyer

Describe the appearance, size, and age of the animal. Describe his/her nature and appealing qualities. Include the pet’s name. State that the pet is desexed. Define any limitations, e.g. not good with cats/small children/ other dogs/other cats. Use a good photograph. Be sure to put in your phone number, and time you can be reached.

9. Network

Take your flyers everywhere:

To your veterinarian.

To your work.

To pet supply stores.

To community bulletin boards.

Show your family and friends.

10. Interview potential new owners

When someone responds to your flyer or advertisement, you have an opportunity to interview them over the phone before introducing them to the animal. Ask questions about the person’s home environment to help you decide whether they can provide a suitable and loving permanent secure home. Make sure you transfer registration and or microchip details when you transfer ownership of your pet.

11. Take the dog to a pound or shelter

If advertising on your own doesn’t work, contact local pounds and shelters and seek their advice on the adoption prospects of your dog. Be aware that the RSPCA usually has a waiting list so make sure you enquire with plenty of advance notice. Do not kid yourself. There is the real possibility, often quite high, that not keeping your pet will result in the pet's death, either directly at a shelter, or in not finding a good enough permanent home.

12. Last resort

Realistically, if your dog doesn’t stand much chance of being adopted, take responsibility for your pet and take him or her to your own vet for euthanasia. Stay with him or her to the end, as painful as that might be for you. It will be the last great gift of love you can give.

13. Never abandon your pet

Whatever you do, do not turn your pet loose ‘in the street’ or ‘out in the country’. This is one of the cruellest fates any domestic pet could meet. The danger, fear, and suffering they will encounter is heartbreaking even if they manage to survive at all.

Edited September 21, 2004 by Troy

[Troy]

In order to keep this Rescue Forum as useful as possible (and to help the dogs in greatest need), please use these 2 simple criteria when posting.

• All dogs listed must be genuine rescues. (i.e. the dog is currently either in a pound/animal refuge or in a foster care situation). Private re-homing is not generally premitted unless the dog risks being harmed, neglected, or will be surrendered to a pound if a home is not found quickly (also see below about private re-homing).
  
• Dogs in a private home, foster care or in a rescue groups/individuals care must be advertised as desexed. The only exemption is when the dog is;
  1) Elderly
  2) Too young (There must be a condition in the contract where the dog must be desexed when old enough AND/OR a desexing voucher given. Please state this condition when posting.)
  

Private re-homing

If you need to re-home your own dog (or you need to re-home a dog on behalf of the current owner) and it is not urgent, please read the above post for help. A dog in his situation is not really rescue and as such has more appropriate areas where they can be advertised.

In all cases, the main aim of the thread must be to find the dog a new home. If discussion changes to the ethics of the owner or other negative factors involving the dog's situation, the posters causing the problem will be either sent a warning, banned or their posts will in future be moderated (at the discretion of the moderators). If the discussion of a topic become negative, do not add your own comments to further inflame things as this will also earn a warning etc.

If anyone feels a need to question the validity of a thread in this forum, please hit the 'Report Post' button to let us decide. It is not your job to be the forum/rescue police (at least not here).