www.ShannonLHill.com

In addition to the aforementioned unacceptable excuses, there truly are occasions when people cannot keep their pets. I will say up front that I believe most of those occasions could have been avoided with proper planning – either don’t get pets you can’t afford, or make sure you have contingency plans for how to take care of them if life gets complicated.

The current overpopulation crisis at shelters is a direct result of the current economic crisis. Many people have found themselves losing jobs or even homes. They end up moving into apartments that won’t take pets, or into the homes of relatives who insist that they make painful choices. First, let me address the issue of rental housing. If you look hard enough, you CAN find housing that allows pets. I have always been able to find apartments or rental property that allowed pets, simply because I did not accept any other alternative. Admittedly, pet deposits can be expensive, and the larger or more exotic the pet, the harder it is to find housing that will accept him. But your pet is part of the family, so you make the effort.

That said, I acknowledge that the OCCASIONAL situation does arise in which someone legitimately cannot keep a pet for reasons beyond their control. What should they do?

It is that person’s responsibility to find a safe and suitable home for the animal. Period. End of story.

Here’s what not to do.

Don’t offer your pet “free to a good home” in the paper or on Craig’s List. You do not want to know what happens to most of those pets. I don’t care if a sweet little old lady in a pink dress swears on her dead husband’s grave that she will take good care of your pet. You do not know her, and thus you have no way to know what will really happen to your pet. Think research labs, dog fight training bait, and worse.

Don’t drop them off at the local shelter “because they’re so cute they’ll be adopted right away”. Over 4 MILLION perfectly good pets are put to sleep in this country every year because no one adopted them.

Your job is to find a home for that animal. A safe home includes people who will take care of their pets, get them veterinary care, love them and pay attention to them. Call all your friends. Ask them to help. Send out emails, with pictures, to everyone in your address book, with permission to forward to anyone they think might offer a suitable home. Contact local rescue groups (which are different from shelters in that they usually keep the animal until they find him a home). Talk to people at your church. Talk to your vet. Check with local schools to see if they have animal welfare student groups that might be able to help you re-home your pet. When someone shows an interest in adopting your pet, unless you know them personally, ask for references, especially from a vet. Be proactive. Keep the commitment you made to that animal.