The best way to avoid horrible things happening is
to be aware of their potential,
so we ask you to be
aware of the following!

  BEWARE!  Pit bull fighters commonly get their bait animals from "free to good home" ads in the newspapers, lejeuneyardsales.com and craig's list, and they'll send respectable-appearing people to pick them up, making you think that the animal is going to a good home.

   BEWARE! Only adopt out animals to families or rescues with very good vet references! How might you know this? Simply get a potential adopter's vet's name BEFORE they see the animal, then call the vet (that's what good rescues do before placing a pet)! Vet hospital receptionists are very helpful this way. Ask them if all the animals in the prospective new home have received regular vet care and spay-neutering. If a household hasn't taken care of their past pets, what makes you think they'll take good care of the next one?

   BEWARE! Another good way to weed out bad homes, pit bull fighters and hobby breeders (see below) is to NEVER offer an animal for free. Instead you can...
(1) meet the new adopter at your vet's office, where the new owner pays for a thorough check up and any other needed services, or
(2) require that the new owner leave with you at least a $25 check made out to the local rescue of his/her choice, which you mail out the same day. Either option is a measure of a person's integrity and a show of how much they will value their new pet.

   BEWARE! Hobby breeders (who know nothing and often care nothing about an animal's health, genetic history or suitable temperament for breeding) will sometimes call themselves a "rescue" in order to pick up intact animals for their puppy mills. Check every new adopter's or rescue's vet reference!

   BEWARE! If adopting a pet to a new home, insist on meeting every member of the household to ensure that every member is on board with the decision to add a pet to the family. Do not adopt out to a household where one spouse is deployed or "out of town" and cannot be in on the decision. That's not fair to the second spouse (and not fair to the animal involved), no matter what the at-home spouse tells you! (Believe us, rescues routinely see this happen when one spouse doesn't want another pet or one spouse has mental health issues that makes a new home completely unsuitable.)

   BEWARE! Animals grieve, just like children, when they are removed from their home. Look only for excellent forever homes or work with high quality rescues if you must rehome your pet. It's not fair to a pet to be traded around like a used lawnmower!

   BEWARE! Please do not purchase your pet supplies at stores that sell puppy mill puppies (Animal Warehouse; Bill's Pet Shops). Support pet stores that support animal rescues (PetsMart, PetSense, PETCO).