#Middlebury
DEAR PAW’S CORNER: In a private Facebook group I belong to, someone is offering a pet for adoption, saying it belonged to their recently deceased mother-in-law. They want a $650 fee for “rehoming” the pet, because they say it has AKC registration. Is this a legitimate fee? It seems awfully steep. – James in Burlington, Vermont
DEAR JAMES: Rehoming fees are a fact of life for private pet placements, but $650 to simply adopt a pet is unreasonably steep.
That isn’t to say that rehoming fees are a bad thing. A reasonable rehoming fee can prevent a pet from being adopted by people with bad intentions, who can’t financially care for a pet, or who are impulsively adopting a cute little dog that they might abandon at the first hiccup in behavior.
The flip side is someone abusing the rehoming fee for personal profit. That person may claim that the fee offsets their costs of caring for the pet, but when the rehoming fee far outstrips the cost of adopting from a shelter, it’s time to proceed with caution.
Find out what the local shelter charges to adopt a pet and ask online what average rehoming fees are for your area. If you’re interested in the dog, contact the offerer and find out as many details as possible about its breed, temperament, health and the environment it lives in. Do not send any money beforehand. You need to meet both them and the dog in person, and no money should change hands until both sides agree (in writing, ideally) to the rehoming.
Further, if they are truly concerned for the dog’s welfare, they will have questions for you – maybe even an application – to make sure you are genuinely adopting the dog and will be a good owner.
Send your comments, tips or questions to ask@pawscorner.com.
© 2020 King Features Synd. Inc.
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