I have to stop reading the craigslist pets section, but I like seeing the pit rescue and kitty listings. The sweet pictures and wonderful rescue folks out there give me a little bit more hope for the world. Occasionally, I run across a few want ads that go along one of two lines:
Typical Post I:
Quote:
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I am a LOVING, CARING person who will be utterly devoted to a dog. I CANNOT justify spending [max $100] or MORE on a dog that needs a home! I want to open my home and my heart to a [TINY purebred or designer mix] dog! It is OUTRAGEOUS that rescues want me to PAY them so much money to give a needy dog a loving home!
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I just love how the amounts of money they quote (some as low as $40 adoption or rehoming fees) are so ridiculously low. Like, seriously? A kennel, toys, treats and a bag of kibble will cost you that and then some, not to mention a vet visit. If you're balking at a low adoption fee, how can you really claim you're gonna give the dog a good home? It's scary to me how many people have this attitude out there and are actively seeking to adopt animals, at least in my area. I guess the part that put me over the edge is that it was so obviously not a "i'm a really good person who just wants to take care of animals," but "i'm a really good person who really wants a super trendy pet! WHY WON'T YOU GIVE IT TO ME FOR FREE??"
Typical Post II:
Quote:
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I am looking for a purebred dog, not sure what type. Something that doesn't shed too much since I am very sensitive. It has to be a medium sized dog, but not too big. Our house isn't large enough to handle a big dog. Something that will be able to be a guard dog, so no purse dogs, either! I'm willing to pay up to $100 (more if it's a truly exceptional dog, like a K9 trained animal). Maybe a shepherd, but I'm not sure. The dog needs to be friendly and playful, preferably no older than 5 years. It won't chase cats and will tolerate small children. It MUST BE HOUSEBROKEN. We must see the dog before we commit to taking it. A trial period would be preferred to see how well the dog acclimates to our family. We could schedule this on a weekend. No puppies please, I have no interest in going through the whole training process again.
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I paraphrased, but yeah, this is seriously an ad. I would love to think it was a joke, but everything about it led me to believe it was not.
Apparently, you can custom order a pre-trained dog and get it for a trial weekend to see if he or she is a good fit with your lifestyle and family. If he s**ts on the rug, it's okay; just take him back to the extraordinary K9 dog loaner unit and get your $100 refund.