As gerbil rescuers, we want to do everything we can to help gerbils find new, loving homes when their current home is lost. The question that underlies everything we do is, "What is best for the animals?" We try to speak for them as they cannot speak for themselves. Our goal is to show compassion for all parties involved while using common sense.
As with all types of animal rescue, the need frequently exceeds the capacity. And like everyone else, our own personal situation changes over time. Here's what we can promise about welcoming your Shawsheen River Gerbil back.
Unavoidable Relinquishments
We will give highest priority to taking back gerbils that lose their homes because of drastic changes beyond their owners' control: foreclosures, fires, deaths, overseas relocations, and the like.
The Last Gerbil
Because of gerbils' social needs, there is almost never a convenient time to end one's gerbil hobby. After some number of years and repartnerings, families may find that it's simply time to “call it a day” on gerbils. On these occasions we can offer one of three arrangements, depending on our current capacity:
We will bring your gerbil back to the kennel, re-partner him or her, and list the new pair for adoption.
We will advertise your gerbil in our Lonely Hearts Club and attempt to make a match with another owner who needs a gerbil of the same age and gender as yours. When a match is made, we will assist with repartnering and the new owner will take your gerbil home.
We will help you introduce your gerbil to a new friend and list it for adoption while it continues to live in your home. When a space opens up for your pair, we will bring them back to the kennel.
While gerbils generally do not like to live alone, sometimes an owner finds him or herself with a frail, elderly gerbil who may not be up to an introduction. We will be happy to help you determine if yours is one of those fairly rare cases where the best practice is to let the gerbil finish out its time alone.
Declannings
Declannings are probably the most single common reason people seek to return a gerbil. We will work with you to re-partner both parties and place one pair if you desire. Sometimes we'll recommend we try to re-introduce the feuding couple first.
Unplanned Litters
Under all circumstances we will arrange for the placement of any pups born by accident to gerbils we place or partnerings we recommend. In some cases we may need the babies to be placed from your home rather than the kennel. Rest assured that placing pups is generally not difficult. We will ask that you keep either the mother or the father along with some same-sex pups, if you desire to stay with just one tank. We will take back the other adult and pups of the other gender.
Allergies
Please read our section on allergies first. We will give high priority to taking back gerbils that are causing severe allergic reactions which can't be remedied by this advice. We strongly recommend that persons with a history of allergies borrow some gerbils (from a friend or through our ambassador program) before adopting.
Bad Fit
Sometimes your new gerbils don't turn out to be exactly what you pictured. We do our best during our pre-adoption meetings and with this web site to educate new owners about gerbils' care and socialization needs, costs, and habits. In spite of this, sometimes people are disappointed.
We will do our best to help you find a new adopter for your gerbils but taking back your gerbils must necessarily be prioritized lower than the emergencies outlined above. We will list your gerbils on our web site immediately but may need you to maintain them in your home until a space opens up. We encourage people who have made a bad match to pursue finding adopters on their own during any necessary waiting period. Often, a friend, co-worker or neighbor will be interested in "trying out" your gerbils. Ask around. See Placing Gerbils for advice about proven techniques for finding new homes.
A child's loss of interest is a common reason for relinquishment. Parents, please understand this up front: with a few rare exceptions, children WILL lose interest in pets. When you agree to bring pets into your home, you are accepting the fact that animals may end up primarily in your care, or at least, with you responsible for nagging your child to care for the pet.
Gerbils are not a long term commitment. Asking a child to fulfill his promise to care for a pet for two or three years is not necessarily doing that child a disservice. There will be other stretches in your child's life where he or she must buckle down and apply him or herself to an unwelcome task over time. Learning to do what we must do is part of growing up. Since parents often cite "responsibility" as a reason for getting a pet, don't be quick to let your child shirk responsibility for his or her gerbils.
That said, we will do our best to place gerbils from your home via our web site while you care for them in the case of "loss of interest". We will also note that your gerbils' next owner could well be a friend of your child's who has admired them and enjoyed them when visiting your house. Don't neglect this obvious angle.
People often fear that if gerbils are not being handled regularly, then it means they must be placed right away. As long as gerbils live with a friend and preferably in part of the house where they can watch the action, gerbils can do just fine without a regular handling. If your child can manage cleaning the tank twice a month, feeding daily and filling the water bottle twice a week, your gerbils will get by until you or we can find a better option for them.
Mites and Illness
We cannot accept any animals, including returns, who have become infested with parasites or who have contagious disease. The health of our large clan and our responsibility to future adopters preclude this. If you have an animal that is ill or infested, we can recommend a veterinarian who can help you treat them. After your gerbils receive a clean bill of health from the vet, we will welcome back your animal according to the other guidelines listed here.
Quarantine Periods
Because we show our gerbils, we often have periods during the year when our kennel must be closed for quarantine. We will attempt to find foster care for emergency situations during this time. For all other situations, we will resume taking back gerbils in priority order when our kennel re-opens after a show. If we cannot accomodate your gerbil in foster care, we suggest that you find a friend who will "foster" it until we can help directly.
Kennel Closure
There may eventually come a day when SRG cannot accept relinquishments due to our own changing circumstances. We will advise potential owners of this fact if the change is a planned one. If it is unplanned (due to illness, family emergency or the like) we will use our web site to help you place your gerbils directly. We cannot guarantee that we will always be able to take back your gerbils but we will do everything in our power to help you find a good, safe place for gerbils you can no longer keep.
