Would you rehome your child to make way for a new puppy? One Craigslist poster tried to do just that with a shocking ad:
“Please help! After two long years of being on a waiting list for an exotic rare breed dog, we were finally notified by the breeder that at long last, our number has come up, and… WE’RE HAVING A PUPPY!
We must IMMEDIATELY get rid of our children now, because we just KNOW how time consuming our new little puppy is going to be! Since our puppy will be arriving on Monday, we MUST place the children in new homes this weekend!!!”
It gets worse.
“They are described as:
One male, white, blonde hair, blue eyes. Four years old. Excellent disposition. He doesn’t bite. Name is Tommy. Temperament tested. Current on all shots. Tonsils removed already and very healthy condition! Tommy eats everything, is very clean, house trained and gets along well with others. Does not run with scissors and with a little time and training, he will do well in a new home. One female, strawberry blonde hair, green eyes. Three years old. Can be surly at times. Non-biter, thumb sucker. Her name is Mary. Temperament tested, but needs a little attitude adjusting occasionally. She is current on all shots, tonsils out, and is very healthy and happy (mostly.) Gets along well with little boys, but does not like to share toys. She is house trained, and would do best in a one child household.
We really LOVE our children, and want to do what is best for them. I hope you understand, that ours is a UNIQUE situation, and we have a real emergency here! They MUST be placed by Sunday night at the latest or we will be forced to bring them to an orphanage or have them put to sleep. We are asking a reasonable fee of $750 per child but will do $1200 if you take both.”
The post has since been removed, but slightly different versions of it have been going around for years. And people were, understandably, absolutely livid that this was a thing. How could anyone do such a thing?
Thankfully, the ad is not real. The poster ended with the following:
“You wouldn’t do this to a child, it’s not acceptable to do to an animal! If you can’t dedicate 10-15 years to a animal, don’t get one. Giving an animal up should be a last resort action, based on unforeseen circumstances beyond your control or ability to change. Animals are not things to be disposed of like a toy that no longer interests your child, a hobby that takes too much time, or a family member that all the sudden is inconvenient.”
While many will argue that a human life is not the same as another animal’s life, the sad truth is that many people still treat their dogs like dispensable items that can be carelessly sold or given away to any stranger on a whim. Yes, life happens. But our dogs are family, and should be treated as such.
Featured image via ABC Action News
