We firmly believe rehoming a pet online is a much better option for both the dog and the owner than putting it in a shelter where it will face being caged and potentially put down. Here’s why:
1. Provides a better chance of finding a suitable home: By rehoming a pet online, you can carefully screen potential adopters to ensure that the dog is placed in a loving and responsible home. You can also share detailed information about the dog’s temperament, likes, and dislikes to attract the right family. This process reduces the risk of the dog being placed in a home that’s not a good fit and subsequently being returned or ending up in a shelter.
2. Reduces the stress on the dog: Dogs can become very stressed in shelters, especially when they’re placed in a cage and left alone for long periods. They may also face health risks from exposure to other animals with illnesses. Rehoming a dog online allows the dog to remain in a familiar environment until it’s adopted, reducing the stress that it may experience in a shelter.
3. Provides greater control over the adoption process: When rehoming a pet online, you can ensure that the adoption process is done according to your standards. This includes checking references, conducting a home visit, and even setting up a trial period to see if the new home is a good fit for the dog. This level of control is not possible in a shelter environment where dogs are often quickly adopted to make room for more animals. Shelters do screen people but they make all the choices – not you.
4. Helps to prevent overcrowding in shelters: Shelters really do a great job but they can become overcrowded, which leads to further stress and the possibility of euthanasia for animals that have been there for too long. By rehoming a dog online, you’re reducing the burden on animal shelters, helping them to focus their resources on animals that truly need their help.
5. Provides a sense of closure for the owner: For many owners, surrendering their pet to a shelter is a heartbreaking decision. Rehoming a pet online provides a sense of closure for the owner because they can still have a say in the new home their dog goes to. It also means they can stay in touch with the new owners and receive updates on their dog’s progress.
6. Shelters charge around $400 to take your pet. This is a very high price to pay especially when one of the many reasons of having to rehome a pet is the high cost of pet ownership. To list online is free. Not only that, online rehoming sites such as RescuePets encourage the current owner to put a marginal price on the pet because many of the pets ‘things’ will go with it. Collar, bedding, bowls, toys etc.
7. The biggest and most important reason is that if you take the burden off the shelters and rehome online we will dramatically reduce the number of pets that are put down every week here in Australia – 3,000 plus.
Rehoming a pet online is a much better option for both the dog and the owner than surrendering them to a shelter. By doing so, you’re providing a better chance of finding a suitable home, reducing stress on the dog, and giving greater control over the adoption process. Additionally, you’ll be helping to prevent overcrowding in shelters, and providing a sense of closure for the owner.