A DORSET animal rescue centre is raising awareness of the pitfalls of buying pets through anonymous adverts in papers, magazines and on social media platforms.

Margaret Green says it has noticed an increase in animals coming to its rehoming centres after having previously been sold or passed on through such methods.

When rehomed in this way Margaret Green has found that often the new owner is not fully prepared for the needs of the pets they are taking on. This is usually because the previous owner has not recognised the early signs of health and or behavioural issues, or because the seller could not give, or chose not to give, all the information about the animal to be able to gain financially.

Minor behaviour and health issues that are not identified early can progress quickly into more serious problems, which new owners are unprepared for and often unable to deal with, the charity says.

This means owners then have to find yet another home for their new pet, which can be very distressing both for the owner and the animal concerned.

Margaret Green said: “We understand that making the decision to rehome a pet can be really difficult and that many can find it hard to approach a rescue centre.

“If you do decide against that and choose to rehome your pet yourself, for example on social media, you may never really know where they are going and whether the new owner will fully understand the commitment of owning an animal.

“People frequently say that bringing their animal to us is the last resort but often approaching us first means that their pet will suffer less stress and upheaval in the long run. All animals that come to us have health and behaviour assessments so that we can match them to a permanent forever home which is in their best interest.

“Another benefit of deciding to rehome a pet via a rehoming centre is that any pre-existing medical problems will be identified and treatment will arranged before the pet is rehomed.”

They added: “We are on hand for the lifetime of all the animals we rehome to offer advice and will always take an animal back in, if necessary, because we understand circumstances can change. All our animals go to their new home with four weeks’ free insurance that can be carried on to protect against any unknown medical conditions, and it is worth noting that it is not always possible to get insurance for older animals that are not rehomed through a charity.”

Margaret Green said “in almost all cases” animals that have had multiple homes within a short period of time due to behavioural and medical issues can have these resolved, with appropriate veterinary treatment if needed.