Margaret Green Animal Rescue is seeking to increase public awareness of the pitfalls of buying pets through anonymous advertisements in papers, magazines and on social media platforms.
As an animal welfare charity they have noticed an increase across all rehoming centres where animals come into their care having previously been sold or passed on through such methods.
When rehomed in this way Margaret Green have found that often the new owner is not fully prepared for the needs of the pets they are taking on. This is usually because the previous owner has not recognised the early signs of health and or behavioural issues, or because the seller could not give, or chose not to give all the information about the animal to be able to gain financially. Sadly sometimes this is the main reason of their rehoming. Minor behaviour and health issues that are not identified early can progress quickly into more serious problems, which new owners are unprepared for and often unable to deal with, meaning that they then have to find yet another home for their new pet which can be very distressing both for the owner and the animal concerned.
Margaret Green Animal Rescue comments that “we understand that making the decision to rehome a pet can be really difficult and that many can find it hard to approach a rescue centre. If you do decide against that and choose to rehome your pet yourself, for example on social media, you may never really know where they are going and whether the new owner will fully understand the commitment of owning an animal.
People frequently say that bringing their animal to us is the last resort but often approaching us first means that their pet will suffer less stress and upheaval in the long run. All animals that come to us have health and behaviour assessments so that we can match them to a permanent forever home which is in their best interest. Another benefit of deciding to rehome a pet via a rehoming centre is that any pre-existing medical problems will be identified and treatment will arranged before the pet is rehomed.”
They went to on explain “We are on hand for the lifetime of all the animals we rehome to offer advice and will always take an animal back in if necessary because we understand circumstances can change. All our animals go to their new home with 4 weeks free insurance that can be carried on to protect against any unknown medical conditions and it is worth noting that it is not always possible to get insurance for older animals that are not rehomed through a charity.”
Recent examples of pets being incorrectly passed on includes dogs which have had multiple homes within a short period of time due to behavioural and medical issues being simply ignored and worsening. Again Margaret Green Animal Rescue explains that “In almost all cases these issues have been overcome and with appropriate veterinary treatment, if needed, the animals were able to enjoy a good quality of life with a carefully selected adopter.”
Margaret Green Animal Rescue has been rescuing and rehoming pets for over 50 years and are dedicated to providing the care that all animals deserve. If you have any questions about either needing to rehome your pet or would like more information on giving an animal their forever home please contact us on:
Dorset: Cats and Farm Animals – Church Knowle Rehoming and Visitor Centre, 01929 480474, churchknowle@mgar.org.uk
Dogs – Lincoln Farm Rescue and Rehoming Centre, 01929 471340, lincolnfarm@mgar.org.uk