If any of you read my previous post, we are trying to find a home for a little black dog we found last week. Local rescue fell through, but we are still looking. But it is time ot put out flyers. I am hesitant to offer a free dog even if we do a home check, screening, etc. But we don't need to make money off him either, although he is going to the vet today for a HW check so free is not exactly right. We could charge just what the vet costs, or charge a fee and then not accept it from the right people. I am worried about free. A friend is trying to get a dog today she saw on craigslist being offered for free last week, and wanted to "rescue" it because it was pitiful and uncared for. SHe didn't get it, but the people said another person took it. Today it is on there again, this time the dog hails from NY originally and is $40 firm. ANy ideas on how to go about the flyer issue? Thanks, Julie

my first reaction or response would be to find the rightful owner . once that plays itself out , you might find a good owner through some of the responses that you might get in the process .

heres' hoping for a happy ending . . .

We have been looking for the rightful owner for a week. Unfortunately they don't seem to be looking for us. I can't make them appear as much as I would like that to happen, and I'm sure he would too. I'm not sure how long I should think about holding on to him waiting for someone to come forward, but if he was my dog, I think a week should be a sufficient amnount of time to have come across the info that we put out. I have spent hours and hours on the computer searching lost dog ads, have posted found dog. Nothing. Haven't found anyone in my own contacts who are interested.

Our choice now is to go out further and look for a home. We cannot keep him. I would have loved for this to end with a joyful reunion, but sadly, I am just about sure that is not going to happen. I have friends asking around, but it may be that we will have to check out the references, etc of a stranger, and I am going to make up a flyer and put it out at a few vet's offices, etc.

I'm not sure what his happy ending will be, but I am sure we will make it as happy as we possibly can. he has turned into a very good dog in the past week, and we walked this morning at the park with other little dogs with a friend, and he was excellent. he will make someone a great pet.

well good on ya julie for doing what you have for him .

we all would like to think there is a family out there wondering where he is , but dogs are weird like that , who knows what his back story is ?

it could be that his time with you has been the best of his life . . .

If you Google this:

Dog, should I offer free to good home?

you will see several sites explaining some of the dangers inherent in this.


If you Google

How to give up a dog for adoption

and

How to give away a dog

there are some better suggestions, I think.


I think there will be good ideas from members here, too, for how to make certain of where the dog really goes.

I was thinking you could always change it to "free" after you met an adopter, after an advertisement with dollars in it weeds out some of the really scary ad-readers ... ?

I'll keep thinking .....

 Quote: ian bunbury

well good on ya julie for doing what you have for him .

DITTO!

That's what we thought, charge and then drop it when we find the right people.

SInce I posted this, I have bene emailing with a lady who volunteers with a little dog rescue. She lives in OR and I live in TN. She wants to fly here and get him. Can you believe that? She has flown around before to get dogs. And she loves the seniors. We had him at the vet today and he is 10-12 yo and is HW neg, has cataracts and a slight heart murmur. She would like us to keep him until Sept when she was already coming here but that is along time for him to get attached and also to keep him seperated from the other dogs. He is NOT adjusting to the crate. He is in a frenzy for hours if we put him in it. SO we are going to work on her getting here sooner than that.

I am thinking along with checking her through the rescue, her vet, and her willingness to fly here for him,I am pretty sure he will be ok. :-)

Thanks for the links too, Connie, I never thought of googling something like that.

Legally you have to hold the dog for your states legal holding period, in my state that is 10 days, some states its 72 hours, some a week. so find out what it is and you can certaintly look for a home while it is finishing the holding period (and that holds if you are an ACO, rescue, or good samaritan). I doubt an owner is going to come forward but you never know. I would not advertise the dog for free, I would put a price on him to somewhere between $100-$200 the reasoning being that you want to price him so that anyway who would be looking for a cheap or free dog for nefarious purposes, bait dog, snake food dog, etc will not want to pay that. If someone comes along who is willing to pay the money and you like them etc you can always not charge them. Glad this pup found someone who cares.

I think petfinder.com will allow courtesy postings for a rescued stray dog. Craigslist is full of interesting people especially in the pet section, I would avoid it for re-homing a dog if possible.

It is actually somewhat difficult to place a stray you have taken in- once you pick up a dog, it is basically 'yours'. It's a tough deal when you can't find the owner. Good for you for putting in the effort to find this little guy a good home.