How can I prevent this from happening next time

Ok so I rehomed a purebred Lhasa Apso with a microchip. I took him from a horrible situation and posted him up on craigslist and petfinder. I got a number of replies but one that sounded the best was located about an hour away. I emailed them many times, answered their questions, told them all about Max, I even needed them to wait a day or two so I can get pictures from the previous owner of him to forward. They asked me a few questions which I replied that I need to contact the original owner to ask.

Anyways, I took the dog to them and I explained that I have not done a whole lot with him. I pretty much picked him up and took him right out to the new home. I asked that they contact me if their are any problems and I will come and pick him back up. I mentioned again that I don't know a lot about him except that he is great with kids and other animals. She emailed me a few days after to say they love him and that they are taking him to the vet. They said they are concerned about his eye which looked a little funny. He was just groomed and clipped short recently.

Well today I find a post on craigslist about him, they are rehoming him! So I emailed and immediately called and asked what was going on. They accused me of clipping his hair on purpose to cover up his "bad" eye. The vet (who is a family friend) said he has a lot of health issues, etc. They never mentioned once what they were. They said they will not give him back because they don't want him back in bad conditions again.

When I rehome animals, I explain thouroughly what I know about the animal, where they come from, that I rescue animals, that I take them from people who treat them badly and rehome them, that I learn all I can before rehoming. They seem to think I am just making this all up or something. When I called, the lady seemed as though she was crying on the phone.

It is just weird. I don't know if I screwed up here or what. But this all went wrong somehow. I am in no way linked to this dog because he was never mine and I haven't started doing paperwork when I rehome animals. I gave the people all the paperwork I received from the original owner and it has her name and address all over it. I think I need to start right now getting paperwork. Can anyone help me with this? Are there links for help on adoption forms? Does anyone have examples of one's you use? Can I call myself a rescue if I am not "officially" or "legally" one?

I don't ever want this to happen again.

First of all, give yourself a pat on the back for caring enough to do all that work for people who are obviously very ungrateful.

I don't know about the legal ramifications, do you work with a group or are you a loner?

There are so many animals that need the kind of love and care that you are willing to give them and to help them find new homes. I don't know if they owe you any money, but do you think that they are trying to get out of paying you?

Something like this is just heartbreaking. Loving headbuts and sweet, caring licks from KittenKiya's Clan. We love you.

I am sorry to hear of your predicament. Technically, I don't think you are considered a rescue, but you are a rescuer. Here is an example of an adoption application: Sample Adoption Application

It is from http://www.theanimalspirit.com

You might also consider having people sign a contract with a disclaimer saying that you have disclosed all information about the animal that you have, and that on the event they can no longer keep the animal they are to return it to you.

If you go here: http://www.nonprofitnw.org/drnw/id24.html There is a link to a printable sample contract.

Good luck!

Another thought is to have the animal dropped off at a vet, and they pick them up from the vet and pay for that visit. Then they get a basic check-up and vaccinations, and if there is a problem, you will know right then.

Thank you so much all your help and kind words. They do not owe me anything. I charged a small adoption fee and took him out to them. I offered to give her the fee back and she said she doesn't want the dog back in a bad situation again and when I started speaking again she hung up on me. I called back and she didn't answer of course. I don't think they are going to treat him badly, I think they are concerned that I was the one who treated him badly. I mean, that would have been an awful lot of lying on my part of that was the case because I found out as much as possible and relayed it all to her. Plus I drove the darn dog an hour to it's new home. If I didn't care about him, surely I wouldn't have done that. RRGG this is just frusterating, I know I can't do anything about it. I need to get paperwork together. I just tend to keep it easier on everyone involved. This is my first time where something like this happened.

Well once before I rehomed a kitten, 10 weeks old. I told the girl all that she needs to do and how to care for it and that he needs a small room for a few days so he can know where the litterbox is and so it isn't overwhelming and to call if there are any problems. That evening I came home to the cat in a box on my step and a note saying he isn't littertrained, he peed all over her house and she doesn't want him...

Some people just don't get it.

I hope the best for Max. I thought about driving out to their house. But I don't want them calling the cops on me or anything. It hurts my feelings more then anything I guess that they think I was the one putting the dog in a bad situation. Maybe I should just get over it and move on. I don't think there is anything else I can do. Just really disappointed that's all.

It sounds like you got ahold of some people who'd had bad experiences with people just foisting off unhealthy pets without a warning... They didn't seem to understand that you were just the go-between, that you hadn't been the pet's previous owner or even done anything for him other than basic care for the short time he was with you.

It's very strange--these people do seem to care about the dog, because they don't want to "give him back to a bad situation", but there's a communication breakdown somewhere, because they're accusing you--a very temporary owner at best--of causing long-term health problems you couldn't possibly have known about or had time to cause.

I'd send them a letter... tell them to take good care of the dog, find a good owner whatever they do, and explain that you neither knew of nor caused the dog's health problems because you had him for hardly any time at all. Tell them you didn't want to cheat them, that you just didn't know; and offer again to take him back if they can't find another place for him, refunding any fee they paid to adopt.

Poor dog--I just hope he gets the vet care he needs. Human beings can be so dense sometimes.

I was going to do just that, send a letter and return the adoption fee.

Thanks.

Actually, Jen, these people, I think, just HAVE to have a demon at whom to point a finger right now. They want to feel better about themselves because they don't really want the dog now that it has problems.

All I can hope is when they rehome the dog it comes back to bite them in the backside, then they'll have the dog back to you so fast their heads will be spinning. I've seen this happen, not with me, and not with dogs (with kittens), and the tune changes when someone tells them they are the ones who caused all the animal's problems, believe it.

You need a contract that says they must do such and such and you can reclaim the animal if they don't do it, and, if they cannot rehome the animal, they must return him/her to you, etc. and the one's on the internet are great and you should be able to make changes to them to suit your own desires.

Yes I agree with Callista and Vik.

They seem to be looking for someone to blame,but the fact they are finding the dog a home themselves shows that they don't want to have to explain to you that they don't want a dog 'with problems'.
Otherwise they would hand him back.

If I were you Jen,I would type up an adoption certificate stating that the adopter adopts the animal on a six month trial and if during that trial there are any problems then the adopter may return the animal at any time and that you have the right to take the animal back if there are any concerns as to its welfare.
You should also state that the animal remains your property at all times until the six month ' probation period' is approved by you.

I just have a question, and it's not judgmental.

Do you take the animals for a veterinary exam before you rehome them? If not, you really should tell the adopter that this is the case.

What exactly is wrong with his eye? if its just cherry eye, that is an easily corrected problem, poor little baby, where is the doggy located? I'm going to check craigslist, i have a Lhasa and they're great little (ok, mine's not so little ) dogs

there was cloudiness over one eye.

I usually take the animals to the vet first. if for whatever reason i don't, I tell the people that as I did with these people. I told them I pretty much just picked him up from the original owner and brought him to them.

I usually rehome cats, not dogs, this was the first one ever. I have no way to keep a dog here at my apartment right now which is why I made the transition as quickley as possible.

Adoption certificates sound like a good idea.

Oh and the post is gone. I saw it and called them and went back to read it again and it was gone... I checked petfinder.com too and I haven't seen it yet. I don't know why they would have deleted it when they know I already saw it.

You know, I would by now, start to suspect that something is up here, but then I am paranoid/schitzoid anyway.

Originally Posted by Jen

Oh and the post is gone. I saw it and called them and went back to read it again and it was gone... I checked petfinder.com too and I haven't seen it yet. I don't know why they would have deleted it when they know I already saw it.

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What post? Did they post in here?

oh no on craigslist.com