As much as I despise the people who go through pets like they’re going out of style, dumping them when they are no longer cute, or become inconvenient, there are legitimate reasons for needing to rehome your pet. Many people wonder why they should have to pay a fee to take in someone else’s unwanted pet. Don’t let them sway you. If they are pressuring you to release your pet for free, hear those alarm bells!

Here is why you NEED to charge a fee, and other helpful information (courtesy Pet-Abuse.com)

Until you’ve read the stories, you might not believe that people would play the con artist to obtain your pet for free so they can turn around and do something bad to it. Take a look around Pet-Abuse.com. There are some very, very bad people out there, folks.

A fee is good to help screen potential adopters. They can be very good at masking intentions, and once you give up the pet, it’s hard to verify later that the pet was not then sold to a broker or buncher. You also have little recourse, legally, should that happen. The pet was surrendered, what that new person does with it is not controllable or prosecutable if it is not illegal. They can legally sell that animal to anyone they like once they own it.
A dead dog isn’t worth it if it ends up a bait dog or a research animal. Even if you can manage to prosecute due to a contract, the dog is still dead. A $50 fee may have saved its life.

If someone can’t afford the fee, they can’t afford the pet. Pets are an ongoing expense, and also what can happen is a person lets you visit when they specifically cleaned up the place, or the roomy isn’t there, etc.
Brokers don’t pay much; collectors won’t pay for those animals or they wouldn’t make a profit. Bait dogs are never paid for. Why pay for something you plan on killing?

The right thing to do is to ask for a fee large enough to screen these shady types, then to donate the fee to a shelter. No profit for the person surrendering, and it helps shelters. Good deal all around.