How to Post Dogs, Cats and Pets On Craigslist

My family has recently come to the heartbreaking decision of putting up our chihuahuas for adoption. The decision was not an easy one. We have become extremely attached to our chihuahuas but because of family health problems we have come to the conclusion that it would be best for the chihuahuas and us if we found them another loving home. Adoption in our case is also known as "re-homing" with a " small re-homing fee" (per Craigslist guidelines)

Kawasaki and Kamikaze came into our life about a year and half ago, when our sister-in-laws chihuahua mother gave birth. My husband, dog crazy that he is , brought home the two twin chihuahuas at 8 weeks of age. They are fraternal twins which came out of the same sack from a litter of 5. Sadly we now need to find them a new home.

Since adopting out the chihuahuas has landed in my lap and I'm an avid Craigslister , I decided to put the Chihuahuas up for adoption on Craigslist with a small "re-homing" fee ("sale" of pets is prohibited on Craiglist but you can ask for a small fee to re-home or "adopt" them out. This is a way to insure that Craigslist does not become a "dumping ground" for neglected or abused animals) Re-homing fees can include costs you have incurred for shots, care and upkeep of your pet.

Some people might ask why not just give them away?

To that I answer there are too many people willing to take "free" dogs only to find that their commitment to caring for them is not as strong as vs. "paying for them". Our thoughts are that if someone is willing to "pay" for a dog they will also be willing to "pay" for their food, their vet bills and care. It's too easy for someone to take a "free" dog only to find that they didn't really want the dog in the first place - but couldn't pass up that "free puppy". Now that's not to say that we wouldn't give them free to someone WE KNOW that would provide them a good home. That's an entirely different thing if you know a dog lover that would absolutely be a great fur-baby mom or dad.

Kawi and Kasi deserve a GREAT home - after all - it's not their choice to have a new home, it's ours. So it's up to us to make good decisions regarding their new owners. This will only be possible through thorough investigation of their prospective new owners. And believe me, many questions will be asked!

For really good information about why you should not post animals for free, read Craigslists policy and advice regarding pet listings. This information is a good read for anyone looking for a new home for their pets.

In hindsight I wish we had given the chihuahuas to a local chihuahua shelter that matches up animals to prospective new owners. The 2 twin chihuahuas have formed a special bond though now and we feel it would be unfair to separate them - so instead we have elected to find a home that will take both of them and be committed to them staying together . Our other 2 dogs are staying with us - 2 border collies named Simon and Karma. Simon is 10 and having health problems too (another reason we feel we need to spend more time with him) and the other border collie is my baby. Frankly keeping up and caring for 2 border collies is a challenge in itself, and hopefully we will be able to keep them with us.

So here we are at a crossroads, feeling bad for having to do this but realizing that it's the best thing to post the chihuahuas for "sale".

If anyone living in the San Francisco Bay Area is looking to adopt a couple of wonderful little chihuahua brothers feel free to email me. If you have any comments please feel free to comment below and thanks for reading!

(Dorsi Diaz is a professional writer and blogger. She writes about everyday things and loves animals)

UPDATE 08/17/2010

Since this article has been published I am happy to report that we found a good home for Kawi and Kazi, and the new mom was someone who found us on Craigslist. They have a new little boy to play with and a mom that is home with them. She plans on having a birthday party for them and will send us pictures of the chihuahua puppies in the future. We also let her know that if for any reason the new placement does not work out that we will take the pups back. We feel good about their new home and feel we did the right thing. Thanks everyone for your comments and concerns.