Resale Of Adopted Yorkie Worries Animal Rescue League
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The Animal Rescue League was inundated with phone calls and requests to adopt the 18 Yorkies whose owner passed away.
The organization vetted prospective owners, and then held a lottery to find the dogs loving homes.
"We had 1,700 people that we put in a pool for 18 Yorkies," said Executive Director Dan Rossi.
But now, one of the families that was chosen is trying to sell the animal for $425. A woman whose name is listed as Rameika Chambers-Ray posted on Pittsburgh Flea Market that her family was selling the Yorkie.
The post partially reads, "have a Yorkie that is the sweetest baby boy ... everybody is all allergic and it's killing me emotionally ... he's one of the Yorkies from the news."
After some initial outrage over the posts, the family admitted that everyone in their house was allergic to the dog, and that's why they were trying to find the animal a new home. They originally paid the Animal Rescue League a $400 adoption fee for the dog.
Still, representatives from the Animal Rescue League are disappointed.
They say prospective adoptive families go through an extensive application process to be sure the animals are going to a home where they will be well cared for.
If things don't work out, the organization asks that families return the dogs to them so they can find a new family that fits the bill.
"When people adopt from us, they sign a contract and in that contract it states they cannot give the animal away or sell that animal," said Rossi. "If there is an issue they need to return it to us."
Most shelters have similar policies. Their main goal is to make sure the animals go home with a loving family. If things don't work out, and the family sells the new pet through an ad, there's no guarantee that the animal will end up with another qualified family.
Animal welfare workers say, they just want to be sure every animal that they adopt out is safe and loved.
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