Because of people who I will refer to as 'Animal Harvesters' we all have to be more careful who we give our free puppies, kittens and even hamsters to. These Animal Harvesters look for free animals so they can sell them for a profit. Most of these animals will be given to Research Facilities, Puppy Mills for breeding purposes, or may end up as bait in dog fighting rings, while smaller animals like rats, hamsters and gerbils could be used as food for pet snakes.
How to Keep Animals Away From Pet Harvesters
If you want to make sure that your pet is really going to a good home, list an adoption fee. If the prospective pet owner has no problem paying an adoption fee, this can prove they actually want the pet and are responsible.
Another way is to ask to see the home where your pet will be housed and ask to see the interaction between the pet and everyone who will be living in the household. Pet Harvesters do not like to wait, they want quick results and aren't likely to go through this in order to get the pet.
What To Do If You Find A Stray Animal
While most people will call the Humane Society, or the local animal shelter to pick the stray animal up, in some instances people will keep the animal and try to find the owners themselves. Pet Harvesters also prey on these people because they think it will be easy to say they are the owner and come to claim the animal.
If you find a stray animal, do not put your address in the flier or ad. Post your phone number and a brief description of the animal but be sure to keep some information to yourself that only the owner would know and only tell the would be owner your address if they get all of the descriptions right.
Responsible owners will find people they are sure will take care of their pets that they can't take with them when they move, new litters or stray animals they find and want to re-home. One of the simplest things you can do is to ask the potential new owner to fill out an application with just a few basic informational questions, like address where the animal will be living, a phone number where they can be reached and what the name of their veterinarian is. Most animal lovers will gladly give you this information when they see you just want to make sure your animal is going to a good home.
We all want to believe that those searching for animals are doing so because they want to give a deserving animal a good forever home, sadly that is not always the case.
