Abandoning Pets on Craigslist

gizmocat · Aug 24, 2006

My town's Craigslist gets at least one ad a week from someone putting their pet up for adoption since 'they are moving and can't take it with them' or 'can't give it the attention they need.'
I got fed up to the back teeth and posted this reply.:

I've been lurking here for quite some time and would like to reply to all you posters who have ALLEGEDLY dearly-loved housepets for adoption 'because it's too much trouble to move cross country/to the next town/in with Mother/anywhere with them' or who 'aren't able to give them the attention they need'.
LOTS OF PEOPLE MOVE HOUSE WITH AN ANIMAL. There are websites describing how to travel with pets. Some are very detailed. There are also special animal transport services that will ship your pet safely anywhere at all in varying degrees of comfort, depending on the price. Only a few foreign countries have quarantines. Continental Europe allows the pet to come with you; England does not. FOSTER the pet if you are moving or relocating.
MOVING HOUSE IS NOT AN EXCUSE TO ABANDON YOUR PET.
Animals don't need constant attention. Play with the animal in several short stints per day. You can pay attention to it when you are home from work. (Hint: Turn off the television, The animal is more fun.)WORK IS NOT AN EXCUSE TO ABANDON YOUR PET. I work upwards of 12 hours a day and was putting in 7 day workweeks for months. I always found time to play with my pet. She was a terrific help.
The least excusable ad is from someone abandoning an elderly pet for any reason. Better just have it put down now, since it's more humane. They have very little chance of finding a good home at that age.
THE ANIMAL IS A LIVING BEING. IT IS NOT AN UNFASHIONABLE BIT OF CLOTHING OR FURNITURE THAT CAN BE DISCARDED AT WILL.

This may not do a bit of good but it did make me feel better. The very worst ad of all was from someone who 'traveled a lot and had to put the cat up for adoption'--it was the merest coincidencethat the cat had just been diagnosed with diabetes and needed medication administered regularly.

The law regards pets as property. The ones moving house clearly think more highly of their furniture than their cats.

evepie · Aug 24, 2006

well done & thankyou.i couldn't have put it better myself.

the human race can be so selfish at times

gizmocat · Aug 24, 2006

you are welcome. but humans treat their kids as badly as their pets. both are helpless.

jenny82 · Aug 24, 2006

Yes, thank you for posting that. If it makes even one person reconsider and keep their pet then it will be worth it.

eilcon · Aug 24, 2006

That definitely needed to be said. Good for your for posting it!

kookala · Aug 25, 2006

Is this stealable? I'd like to repost it on craigslis/phoenix!

gizmocat · Aug 25, 2006

Go right ahead.
JUst be sure to add something i left out:

A LEASE IS NOT AN EXCUSE FOR ABANDONING YOUR PET. There are cat websites that list pet-friendly apartments in every city in the USA. If you are moving long-distance, foster the pet with a reputable cat rescue society until you have completed your move, then send for it or retrieve it yourself. Cats are easier to 'house' than dogs but both animals are accomodated in many apartment complexes.

I am also disgusted by the 'gonna have a baby--gotta get rid of the cat--ads, though they ARE excusable if the people are irresponsible enough to let the cat run around outdoors. Then, there is a risk of it passing on toxoplasmosis to the woman.
]

gizmocat · Aug 25, 2006

Good grief, Gracie is the spitting image of my little Gizmo! I was wondering if she had any other doppelgangers on this site, and that's it!

gizmocat · Aug 25, 2006

Dear Friends,

I got this email today from the editor of craigslist.

Your posting has been removed by the craigslist community.
Several craigslist readers flagged it for being inappropriate as posted.

Approximately 98% of postings removed by flagging are in violation of craigslist posting guidelines and/or terms of use:

http://www.craigslist.org/about/terms.of.use.html

After reviewing your posting and our policies, if you are convinced that your posting was one of the 2% that are unfairly flagged, feel free to repost.

The flagging system is a work-in-progress, with all the pros and cons of a democracy - Please post ideas for improvement in our feedback forum.

Sorry for the hassle! and thanks for your understanding.

I wrote back to this editor stating that: (1) he obviously had not read the article, which contains no offensive material; (2) that I had read the Rules and had violated none of them:
and (3) that I would not waste my time on his service any more. This particular Craigslist regularly posts 'warnings' from readers who in one case carried out a total war against a young kid who simply asked to adopt a cat--the messages mentioned him by name and slandered him greviously. These messages were allowed to stay up.
They allow perverts to post in the women's personals sections. one craigslists reader posted a picture of one man and accused him of being a serial killer. This message was allowed to stay.
But it's good to see that they do have their standards and it's completely over the line to suggest that people who put their much-loved pets up for adoption have anything but their best interests at heart.
I got my cat from two spoiled kids who did not want her any more. While I agree that the cat is doing a lot better with me than with them, I am appalled that no one sees anything odd or immoral about their behaviour toward a helpless pet.
I also mentioned that there were others who would be posting similar warnings on other craigslists, and that he could have a lot of fun taking them all down. I will not use their service since I consider it worthless.

gizmocat · Aug 25, 2006

This is the ad that got me mad enough to write my own post. I'd love to know which one is more offensive, theirs or mine:

They are a 6 year old female and 3 year old male and are very lovable, nice, friendly cats. Great with children. We are moving cross country and it would be too much to take them. They have been like a part of the family and need a loving home. They come with two cat carriers, two litter boxes, two scratching posts, brushes a leash and toys. We can deliver them, we would like them to stay together. Adoption fee negotiable.

"Too much" to take them. But they're just like one of the family.

jenny82 · Aug 25, 2006

Oh no, Gizmocat, that is just terrible! How unfair. I will try to post your message in Craigslist/Baltimore and see what happens. Craigslist now makes me mad!

tnr1 · Aug 25, 2006

Originally Posted by gizmocat

This is the ad that got me mad enough to write my own post. I'd love to know which one is more offensive, theirs or mine:

"Too much" to take them. But they're just like one of the family.

I don't read craigslist anymore...however I do post about low cost spaying/neutering options and I also post my rehome page:

http://www.natewood.net/Rehome.html

Katie

gizmocat · Aug 25, 2006

That's wonderful, and useful, and it's great to have spaying info on craigslist (since so many people are not informed about the low cost or free services in their area) but it doesn't take into account the people who keep a cat for ten years and then dump it in a shelter because it's old and they are moving out of state. There were three or four of these poor old cats in the Humane Society because of these people. Chances are they were killed since no one would rehome them.

eilcon · Aug 25, 2006

Originally Posted by gizmocat

Good grief, Gracie is the spitting image of my little Gizmo! I was wondering if she had any other doppelgangers on this site, and that's it!

You're right! I pulled up some pics you posted of Gizmo and she and Gracie are the spitting image of each other. We have a couple of pretty little tuxedo girls!

jen · Aug 25, 2006

Guys, it's not that something in your exact post was offensive, it's that it is considered a discussion and those are not allowed and most always get flagged.

Doesn't stop me from posting things like that, I am just pointing out that is why it is flagged. Not because of offensiveness, because discussions are not allowed there.

jlutgendorf · Aug 25, 2006

Also, it wasn't anyone from craigslist that took your post down. every post has a flag button next to it if it is discussion, prohibited, spam, etc. and individual users can flag any post they choose.

I think it takes 20 or 30 people to flag a post, and then it's automatically removed.

Craigslist itself does very little to no moderating.

So, when you find offensive posts, you need rally other people to flag away and get them removed.

Though I do find that there are many people on there just to read about and cause drama.

A better approach in the future would be to send the individual posters an email with resources that will help them to keep their family pet, or if they refuse to do that, at least resources on screening potential adoptors.

~Julia

gizmocat · Aug 25, 2006

Hello Julia,
Thanks for the update. I contacted another poster previously (a woman who was getting rid of her cat because she was pregnant) but I've found that once these people have made their minds up, there's no real rational way to explain the alternatives.

gizmocat · Aug 25, 2006

Yes Gracie and Gizmo are very close--but Gizmo's eyes are green. They do both share the same cute black nose.

marishka · Aug 26, 2006

Originally Posted by gizmocat

Hello Julia,
Thanks for the update. I contacted another poster previously (a woman who was getting rid of her cat because she was pregnant) but I've found that once these people have made their minds up, there's no real rational way to explain the alternatives.

Exactly.

I once responded to, (while not to craigslist, rather a guinea pig info site) about a lady who lived near me who couldn't keep her guinea pig because of moving. I had just lost my baby boy guinea pig to old age, and as he had been my only pet, I decided to adopt one that needed a home after a few months--so many people don't understand the space, time and attention these little animals need, and there are so many that need forever homes. We talked and she decided I was 'good enough for the pet she loved so much but couldn't move with' and we set up a time and everything. She sent me pictures, and I framed one and carried it with me to show everyone. I got new stuff, and I was ahppy for the first time since my baby died. She was not expecting payment, but I wasn't taking any of his stuff, so I suggested she could sell it or something since 'money was tight'. She emailed (not even worth a phone call) me two days later- she found someone who would buy him, and already 'sold' him...but she "had a bunny that I could have"- like they're interchangable shoes or something. I cried for a week.

You figure out, it's not really the animals best interest they are looking for, but a few extra bucks at the expense of an animal.

Kat0121 · Mar 12, 2014

We get almost one posting a day in our area for people giving their pet away. There is an ad today. they are giving their cat away after 3 years because they have 2 dogs that chase it. according to the owners, he is a beautiful siamese who loves attention but spends all his time under the bed because he's afraid of the 2 german shepherds.

my question is this: did they have the cat first and then bring the GS dogs in or has this poor cat been tormented by them for the past 3 years?

Abandoning Pets on Craigslist

TCS Member

Thread starter

TCS Member

TCS Member

Thread starter

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

Thread starter

TCS Member

Thread starter

TCS Member

Thread starter

TCS Member

Thread starter

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

Thread starter

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

Thread starter

TCS Member

Thread starter

TCS Member

TCS Member