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Tampa Home Sellers in Foreclosure ... Don't Forget your pets!

By Katrina Madewell

Real Estate Agent with Charles Rutenberg Rlty- More than 5,000 agents(813) 777-1196 SL3130026

March 04, 2008 05:13 PM

So you have seen the dime a dozen"short sales" blasted across the MLS, just about every other home my clients and I peer into are 'Foreclosure' or 'Short Sale'. What about the Real Estate agents out there that are loading up on these 'short sale' bail the seller out Listings; that you know you already have too many of them to begin with?

Let me tell you WHY I am posting this...

help animals Recently, I previewed a property for a client, and as I was finished videoing this (trashed) pre-foreclosure home, I heard a little Squeak Squeak "I'm over here" kind of a noise"!

So I peered around for a moment to see this little guy, in horrible living conditions. No food, barely ANY water (what was left was disgusting), and a cage covered in feces.

So I immediately ran to get my phone and called the listing agent, and said "this home has apparently been vacated, but they have left this poor little ferret here, in awful conditions". She was like "oh yeah they mentioned a little animal of some sort still there". I said "Yes, that would be this little ferret still here". She said "oh yeah they were supposed to get him last weekend".

It was Wednesday, and we had a long (good) conversation, and I told her "IF they do not want this little guy, let me know, I will come back to get him, and will find a home for him". She assured me she would check on this little guy.

So on Friday, I asked a friend that lived much closer than I to go by and see if he was still there, and HE WAS!

After a week, this poor animal was STILL there and NO ONE would do anything!

We called

the listing agent back again
the news / TV Stations
Animal Control
Animal Services
About 12 other internal departments
Emergency Veterinarian Clinics that take wounded animals and yes...
even my broker (didn't want to steal the animal)

Explained the situation, no luck anywhere... Finally I went back late that next night and said to myself, "I have photos, we have called everywhere, I am just going to go and get him'. So I did, only to find that FINALLY a week later, they came back to get this little guy!

Sellers or Real Estate Agents for sellersin pre-foreclosure or abandoned homes....

PLEASE TAKE YOUR ANIMALS WITH YOU!!!! Once you make the decision to be a pet owner, treat that pet like your adopted child, DON'T LEAVE THEM BEHIND!!!!

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John Grant

E Z Home Ownership Realty, LLC - Lansing, MI

Katrina,

AMEN to your post. I work in Michigan and work mostly pre-foreclosure/short sales. I am appalled by how many people view their pets as "disposable". We recently had a home in our community where the owner left the house and abandoned two dogs (chained in the back yard) and 3 cats. Thanks to concerned neighbors, all of the pets were rescued and are in the process of being placed in new homes.

We can never say it enough. When you adopt a pet you are making a life time committment to that pet !

Mar 04, 2008 10:43 PM

Midori Miller

Talk 2 Midori, LLC - Daytona Beach, FL

Online Marketing For Real Estate Professionals

Hi Katrina-yes it is sad to me how the little guys get forgotten. I love my animals and could never imagine my life without them. Great reminder.

Mar 04, 2008 10:50 PM

Mana Tulberg

805 County Real Estate - Camarillo, CA

Real Estate Agent - Camarillo CA

Katrina, That it's very sad. A pet is like a member of your family, you can leave family members behind or if you have to you make arrangements.

Mar 05, 2008 02:57 PM

Lynda Eisenmann

Preferred Home Brokers - Brea, CA

Broker Associate ,CRS,GRI,SRES, Brea,CA, Orange Co

Hi Katrina,

Oh my gosh, I can't believe they did that. This is the first I've heard of something like this, but I guess it's bound to happen. Glad he has a home again.

Mar 05, 2008 03:29 PM

Katrina Madewell

Charles Rutenberg Rlty- More than 5,000 agents(813) 777-1196 - Tampa, FL

Tampa FL Homes for sale | Tampa Bay - (813) 777-1196

Thanks for your comments everyone.. .glad to see there are some other animal lovers out there, like me, that care too!

Mar 07, 2008 03:14 PM

Lisa Spalding

Casa Latino Four Corners, REALTOR, CDPE - Longwood, FL

REALTOR, CDPE

Katrina-- Wow. I have only had one such situation like this involving an abandoned dog. Thank goodness the neighbors were on the ball and they called the county just before I listed the property. I brought the dog food/water for a few days and FINALLY, someone showed up to get the dog. That poor little ferret. I get so mad a people sometimes. But thankfully your situation ended well. Have a great weekend.

Mar 07, 2008 06:53 PM

Leslie Hoyt

Hello Home! - Greenville, SC

Hello Home!

This made me so sad! As a ferret owner- our baby's name is Claire Zoe :o), she is like another one of our kids (mostly). She is very spoiled and VERY loved. (We are her ferret humans, if you must know) I can't imagine anyone leaving their furry living (maybe dying) like that! Thank God you came along and found him/her! Great post! ~Leslie

Mar 09, 2008 03:45 PM

Awe, If i didn't have 4 crazy dogs I would totally have a ferret!!!!!!!

Mar 10, 2008 03:58 PM

Tampa Home Sellers in Foreclosure ... Don't Forget your pets!

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