Most of the time, that story is probably untrue, but perhaps some are moving into a rental that doesn't allow pets?

If you have nextdoor in your area that's a good place to find dogs in need of a home.

www.nextdoor.com

I agree, we've moved all over the US, and also overseas and back, with our pets. No way we'd leave them behind.

There are so many rescue groups. My youngest volunteers for one that is based in Brooklyn. Dogs are alway with foster families, never in a shelter.

inagree though that most have issues, due in part because of the lack of training by the owner.

Do people tell the truth about anything they're trying to rid themselves of? Like cars, as an example?

The best place to look for a dog is at your local animal shelter organization or a breed placement organization, if you have a specific preference. (I won't use the word "rescue", it's misused in this context in my opinion). Oftentimes shelters have either some past history or recent experiences with the individuals and will honestly share what they know.

With Craigslist, Nextdoor, any of those, you're going to run into who-knows-what kind of people telling who-knows-what kind of fibs about who-knows-what kind of animals. Protect yourself above all. At least with a shelter or breed rehoming operation, you can in good conscience return an animal you find has problems beyond what you want to deal with.

I think they say that because they don't want to admit that the dog/pet has issues and that the dog/pet has a better chance of finding a home if they say they are moving and can't take it with them.

I will refrain from sharing my opinion of people who do say that and/or who would leave a dog behind because they were moving.

In some cases Mom and Dad probably got the dog for the kids and decided it wasn't a good idea so moving was a good excuse to get rid of it. In some cases it could be that they ran into financial hardship and moving to a rental that doesn't allow pets. In most cases it's simply that some people do not consider their dogs as part of the family and they are expendable. So sad but probably a good thing because the dog just might find a forever home where it's truly loved.

A lot of dogs on Craigslist are actually stolen, particularly the popular breeds. Try a reputable shelter or rescue.

I don't really understand it either than to believe that people have been raised to believe pets are disposable. One of my conditions for having pets is that they be indoors and treated like a family member. I think that's probably why my dog is so well behaved. That and the kids and i actually read up on his breed the best as we could to know what particular traits he might have.

At least they are trying to find it a home. I had neighbors who moved away from here years ago and just left their cats behind. That was my introduction to seemingly normal people abandoning their pets. I'm not even much of an animal lover, but I was shocked. I naively thought they would come back for them. The poor cats.

When I told this to my brother, an Air Force veteran who has lived all over the country and world, he told me that cat abandonment on bases is rampant.

Now I wonder if people give up / abandon cats more easily than dogs.

I'll step in and take up the slack you left, dawn.

To me, bringing a dog into your home/family involves assuming a responsibility maybe slightly culturally different but not greatly ethically different from deciding to get married or have children. It involves making a commitment, the other party must trust and rely on you for their happiness and well being.

People who take that responsibility lightly, or think such relationships are fluffy and changeable when not convenient, are despicable. It's one of the worst things people can do, it angers me every time I hear of another instance of carp like that.

"When I told this to my brother, an Air Force veteran who has lived all over the country and world, he told me that cat abandonment on bases is rampant."

Sorry to say this, but people in the military are not necessarily always our country's best and brightest. Yes, I was in the military, I know first hand the kind of people one encounters in uniform. It's a wide range to be sure but the bottom half of the nation's bell curve is overly represented.

For military families who move, they may not know if pets will be allowed where they are going, for example if they will be living off-base. However, one should still at least deliver the pets to a shelter or rescue.

Our neighbor abandoned their cat when they moved. They had it for many years as an outdoor cat. It is a very shy cat, almost feral, but thankfully another neighbor decided to take care of it. I am surprised it has survived outside for so long with all the predators we have here.

I believe if you adopt a pet, you take care of it for its life. We had a dog that wasn't the most friendly or loving but we kept her for 18.5 years. We didn't try to pawn her off on someone else because we knew with her behavior problems she would end up being put down. We took her to several behavior classes, but it was just her Chihuahua personality that made her difficult.

My son and wife fell for some story. I don't remember, but it was either it was there kid was allergic or they were never home to take care of the dog. The dog was a certified mental case. It would chew anything in site, get aggressive with their other dog and piss all over the floor. They had to build a wire cage in the basement from floor to ceiling to contain the dog while they were at work. They tried doggy school with no results. No kennel would take him when they wanted to go on vacation. When he bit their 3 year old in the face, out the door he went. The in laws took him and he still is a mental case. But that is OK cause the father in law is a mental case.

Have to agree that people are not honest about problem pets on Craigslist, etc. My neighbor adopted a sweet dog on. Craigslist. The previous owner said some blather about breaking up,with a boyfriend, couldn’t keep,the dog, etc. However she failed to mention and I’m sure this is why she was dumping him, that the dog has terrible separation anxiety and barks constantly when left home alone. That dog is capable of barking eight hours straight. Unfortunately too many rescue dogs are just someone elses problem passed on to you, not that they can’t be trained.

caflowerluver.....have you found a dog yet? I too miss having a dog.

nicole - Not yet, though came close a few times. We are looking for a Dachshund or a mix Dachshund. One rescue group said we were too old at 68, after filling out a 10 page form. Another one was quite a distance away and the dog went to someone else who got there first. We will just keep looking. The house is too quiet without the pitter-patter of little paws.

Looking at this one now. A senior Dachshund mix. A long 1.5 hour drive.

NALA

Awwww, what a sweet face she has. Hope you find a forever pup soon!

OMG! That little face is adorable!!!! I'd drive all day to pick that little thing up....just to get a "nose bump".

OMG how appalling to call a 68 y.o. too old to adopt a dog. What nonsense.

As for the moving bit. When we rented we had a heck of a time finding a landlord that would allow our poodle, even with extra deposit.

Oh caflowerliver, that dog is too sweet looking. I hope things work out. Doxies are wonderful. BTW, we are neighbors on the Peninsula.

Oh my, I hope you get Nala. She is precious.

I would spoil that dog soooo much!

When our first cat died we got a box and buried EKO in our backyard. When husband decided he wanted to move I handed him a shovel and said "I'm not leaving EKO".. yes we dug him up and reburied him at our next house.

SamKaren

Your resident dj

68 is not too old for a dog. What ridiculous thing to say. I have known rescues to draw hard lines without making good sense. Kinda stinks.

Rescues also lie about their animals. Plus some of the foster people are NUTS! They find every excuse not to rehome an animal. I have one horror story about a dog that re-homed 5 times. His foster person was terrified of him although she tried to hide it. We were the last home. He was obviously "back-doored" out of a shelter when he was put on the unadoptable list meaning he would be humanely put down. We adopted him and had our vet put the poor cage raged, vicious, unpredictable dog out of his misery.

My friend worked for the humane society for years. Lot's of shenanigans which is why the shelters have so few breeds that people want. The rescues take them and in effect resell them sometimes for 5 or more times the adoption the shelter would charge. For every good honest rescue there are dozens of bad ones. Some have such stringent requirements you would have to be a full time stay at home adult with no children under twelve who would never let the dog outside in a fenced yard without supervision. NUTS!

I got two great dogs on Craigslist. One was from a young couple who were absolutely heartbroken to give up their sweet Rottweiler. The rules in the town they lived changed and no one would rent to them. Moving wasn't an option. The other was a puppy. I searched high and low for a Black Lab puppy. Having lots of experience with larger breed dogs and their health issues from early spay and neuter I could not bring myself to get a rescue or shelter dog due to their mindless early neuter policy. Same with my current Rottie. Found her on a pet finders list.

My DDIL ran a dog rescue in Philadelphia and has told me that the "I'm moving and can't take my dog" is the most common reason she hears. Or my child-wife-fiance is allergic.

She has such an optimistic outlook and figures that she'll find a new home for these unwanted dogs where they will be welcomed and loved. Her rescue has a great group of volunteers who come in to walk the dogs or take them home for fostering.

I used to volunteer for our local HS - moving and allergies were probably the most heard excuses for returning dogs. They would always take a dog back that had been adopted from them.

Once a woman, I won't call her a lady, brought in her 10 year old dog she had adopted as a puppy. This was one of the least attractive dogs I've ever seen. She had some lame excuse I can't even recall now - and walked out the door. That dog cried and cried. It was heartbreaking. I knew no one was going to be interested in that older, ugly dog.

But, there's a happy ending - one of our volunteers adopted her. I know she lived out the rest of her years in a wonderful loving home.