| Rodent Rescue Page 2 |
| Before beginning to take in animals, it’s a good idea to think about what situations you will and will not accept animals. It’s very surprising what people will expect you to do when they have animals they no longer want. Often, they do not want to bring the animals to you. Are you willing to drive an hour to pick them up? Four hours? To another state? How many animals can you accommodate yourself? Do you have situations where you can find the animals new homes, or does taking in rescues involve their permanent placement with you? Do you plan on taking in any animal regardless of situation? Are there situations from which you do not feel able to accept animals? It is entirely acceptable when doing rescue to establish specific guidelines before taking in animals. These guidelines can be as general or specific as you feel you need, and are usually used to prevent you, the rescuer, from being put in an unfortunate situation. Everyone who does rescue will have a different set of guidelines to fit their specific situation. The following is an example and should in no way be considered a recommendation. Guidelines for Accepting Hamsters into Rescue 1. Animals being mass produced for the commercial pet industry, those being bred in large quantities by irresponsible individuals, or those produced by fanciers who then are unable to place the babies will not be taken into rescue. It is the breeder’s responsibility to see that their hamsters are placed in good homes. 2. All hamsters taken in must be in good health, have good temperaments, and be adoptable. Unplaceable animals will not be accepted. 3. Owners must permanently surrender their hamster’s cage at the time their animal is turned over to the rescuer (this prevents them from going out and acquiring more animals in a couple of months, only to eventually turn them into rescues as well). 4. A $5-$10 donation shall be strongly encouraged to cover the cost of maintaining the animal until it can be placed. Placing Rescue Hamsters Finding rescued hamsters fantastic new homes can be one of the most rewarding things you can do. Often, the people who adopt the animals take great pride in the fact that they took in an orphan, and in many cases they take exemplary care of their pets. There are those people, however, who do not make good potential adopters. It is the job of the rescuer to weed out the good from the bad and see that the animals end up in suitable homes. The best way to do this is to sit down and talk to the potential adoptee, find out if they have owned hamsters before, and what their experiences have been. If they have never owned a hamster before, have they done the research and know how to care for them? Gut instinct is often the most valuable tool for the rescuer. If you don’t feel completely comfortable handing over the critter, suggest a few days to “think about it.” Having to come back a second time will week out the “impluse” adopters from the serious ones. Adoption Fees Another very important thing to always do when you place a hamster is to charge an adopting fee. While this fee can go a long way towards covering the cost of caring for the animals in rescue, it has a much more important function. Quite simply – people value that which they had to pay for more than that which they are given for free. The animals will be better cared for and held in higher regard if they cost something. The willingness to pay for the animal is a good sign of how much the recipient really wants it. In addition, some people will go so far as to outright lie to get free “feeders” for their reptiles. Adoption fees don’t have to be large. Typically, $5-$10 for hamsters is adequate. This will typically weed out those looking for something cheaper than the pet store. |