Would you get a dog off of Craigslist?

I will say I probably wouldn't ever get a puppy puppy off of Craigslist, but not because it's Craigslist but for the same reason I wouldn't get one from a rescue. Don't know what I'm getting.

But older puppy/young adult? Most certainly if I wasn't going through a breeder.

When I was looking for Fergus I saw SO many dogs that if I had been looking for a fun sport dog I would have checked out because the families got the dog, it grew up and oh my word you mean this ACD/BC mix needs to DO THINGS?

And the thing is, I hate hoops. I have had very bad experiences dealing with rescues and shelters and really would like to avoid them at all costs. Craigslist to me is full of people that have a pet they love but just can't keep anymore but don't want to see them put in a shelter where the person has no say over anything.

Are their creeps on there? People just looking for money? People trying to get rid of their dog to the first person they can? Yep. But I also found a lot of sincere people trying very hard to do right by their dog.

And again, no hoops or contracts or "You mean your dog isn't neutered? Then I'm sorry you can't have this ALREADY ALTERED cat."

Ma'ii is a craigslist dog, so yes! I have and would again!

Before I got Susie, I had been looking at SPCA sites for a dog but did not like their contracts also the only dogs available in the size I wanted, were not breeds or crosses that I liked. Eleven years ago, I had never heard of Craig's list but I heard of some pups advertised on our local radio station.

I went to see Susie, she was a Bernese crossed with a neighbor dog and I got her for nothing. She was actually the first dog I had ever owned that was not a registered purebred.

I am not likely to get any more dogs in the near future but would consider a dog off Craigs list if I did.

This. SO MUCH THIS!!! Every word in here is exactly how I feel.

More than likely, I see myself going through breeders for my dogs. I'm particular about my wants (generally, well bred chihuahuas lol) and I like the security of getting puppies from parents who have been health tested.

I "bought" an 8 day old chihuahua puppy from CL who was in a bad situation. The owner was on drugs, she said the mother was stolen, and they weren't taking care of the newborn puppies. I spent $75 to get her out of that situation, and I had fed her for 3 days until my sister (foster failure) could take her.

I would ALWAYS take a puppy or dog from CL in a situation like that... I would never "buy" a "$400 full bread chiwawa" from CL, but I will always take rescues for a small fee.

I'd also be more likely to find a dog on CL versus going through a rescue or shelter. I have 6 dogs (and Rory isn't neutered) and I'm going to have a baby very soon... I'm not exactly the best candidate for rescuing a dog in many rescue/shelter viewpoints.

I also found my suggies on CL from someone rehoming them.

I haven't gotten a dog off CL, but I have gotten goats and a horse off of it.

My late Lab X, Chevy, was newspaper re home (before CL was around) and she was one the best dogs I've owned.

Alot of the dogs you see on CL (excluding the $$$ BYB dogs) usually will end up at rescues or shelters if no one takes them. Worse case, they get dumped along a busy road.

I would. I actually have no idea where our next dog will come from or even the breed, and while I have specific wants for dogs I find them to be pretty flexible--I just really like dogs, all kinds of dogs! I don't think I would get a puppy though, for the unknown factor. At least an adult or mostly adult dog is more a a known quantity personality-wise.

Given our current lifestyle, no rescue or shelter would adopt to us. Even though both of our dogs are extremely well cared for, well exercised, fed a good diet, are seen by a vet regularly, and just over all are very happy dogs, the fact we live in an RV and travel frequently is enough for them to decide not to adopt to us. So, at this point we have no choice but to go through either craigslist or breeders. And honestly, a dog in need of a home is a dog in need of a home, so craigslist is still rescue in my eyes. Just without all the judgemental BS you get from so many rescues and shelters.

:hail::hail:

I voted YES!

I definitely would not 'buy' from any source but reputable breeder because seriously, whether craig's list, shelter, newspaper, or bulletin board there is a difference between rehome fee and SELLING PRICE right!? I won't feed the puppy millers, but I support owners trying to do the best they can and ALSO fosters in it for the animals welfare. Shoot we have plenty who foster on their own here on Chaz! I applaud them!

But to me, as Shakou stated above "A dog in need of a home is a dog in need of a home" and rolling the genetic dice at a shelter/rescue is no different IMO than Craig's list.

Would I get a puppy thats being sold for profit from a BYBer? No.

Would I get an adult dog? Yes.

Because, although I would love to support a rescue, and though I've fostered for two within the province here, most rescues won't adopt to me. (Kid under two, cats, unfenced yard, work outside of home, under 30...)

I got Leo off of craigslist. So yes, I obviously would.

He was being fostered, and part of a rescue, and his foster mom posted on craigslist to get a bit more exposure.

In my opinion, just because it is posted on craigslist doesn't mean a single thing about the dog or owner, especially for rescues. Yes, there is an increase of irresponsible owners or silly posts than you might find elsewhere, but there are a lot of obviously good responsible people too.

Now, I probably wouldn't get a puppy from their breeder from craigslist, because I would expect good breeders to not have to advertise in that way. But rescues? Absolutely!

I did. Arson is a Kijiji find.

Probably not... Firstly, no to BYB's who are advertising on there. Secondly, I really want health testing and lineage for future dogs. PRA sucks d!ck (as do other genetic health issues). Many other reasons that I won't go into.

Rider basically turned me off rescue for my personal dogs. I hope to begin fostering again once Tulsa gets older. I just hold very high expectations and don't like to fix socialization and drive issues so that I can trial. I'm over it. Lol.

Not saying never, but reputable breeder most likely for the rest of ever. Possibly breed specific rescue that has been vetted to extreme lengths.

OTOH, Josh and I have been talking about possibly buying a started gun dog but I don't know if that counts in this conversation.

I found Penny on a local site very similar to Craigslist. I searched for a Yorkie rescue but they all either had outrageous adoption prices or I didn't meet their standards as an adopter because I have an intact dog.

It would definitely depend on the situation and the dog. Penny came from an elderly couple who felt their grandchildren were too rough with her. Ultimately, she did come from a BYB and I have mixed feelings about that for health reasons and such. But I would have the same situation going to a shelter or rescue.

Because I am not a puppy person and don't "do" anything with my dogs, I don't foresee going the breeder route (if I did, it would not be via Craigslist).

At this point, I would prefer Craigslist over any other option for finding another dog - when I get to that point. Because of my breed preferences, I am afraid to adopt a dog from a shelter, where dogs have not been tested in a home environment with cats and other dogs. I would rather come across a nice, older dog who's lived peacefully with cats and is known to be mellow around other dogs - and who I can visit in its home before committing to bringing it home.

I think it's just as legit as going through a rescue - these are the dogs that either can't get into a rescue or whose people are trying to find the best home possible on their own before resorting to sending them to a rescue. I did get a dog from CL a couple years ago. My SO had always wanted a pug, and so after a point I kept my eyes out for a pug in need of a home. Not a pug puppy with a $300+ "rehome" fee, but a pug in need. It took almost a year of casual looking and failed attempts, but one day I found a 4yo pug whose family was really trying to do right by him, and after a few emails back and forth, they brought him up to meet my dogs and left him with me. For free. He's still her little sidekick and has a great life.

Probably not, because I wouldn't trust people to give me an accurate history... but I have kids, so dog bites are always a worry for me.

no

Would go to a shelter first.
Though I'm strictly a purebred person, there are so many postings that are complete frauds or BYB trying to dump pups that are grossly out of standard it's crazy.