Free Puppies

Giving Away Free Puppies

We've all seen the ads in the local paper: "Free Puppies!" Some well-meaning person has found his or herself with a sudden surplus of tiny canines and wants to find good homes for them before they grow too big to manage. It's a noble effort, but unfortunately not every pup is going to wind up in an ideal living situation. Let's find out why.

First, a “free puppies” ad can be very persuasive. You might have just been browsing the newspaper for fun to see what was available at the time and the thought of getting a dog for free rather than paying hundreds of dollars to a professional breeder can be very attractive. There's also the fact that you'd be doing a very generous thing by giving a puppy a permanent home. So maybe you decide to speed up your plans and bring one of these needy pups into your family.

The problem is lots of people start out with the same good intentions, but many wind up bringing a new pet home without putting the proper thought into it. Some will find themselves ill-prepared to meet the needs of their new charge, become discouraged with the amount of care and training needed, and end up dropping the dog off at a shelter. Worse still, others may simply abandon their now unwanted pet.

Then there is another group of people who may present themselves well when they agree to take one or more puppies home, but their intentions are far from honorable. Many free puppies wind up spending their lives as lab research animals, or far worse, as bait for the dog fighting industry.

Sadly, people tend to value what they pay for, but it's always easier to just walk away when there's no investment on their part. Setting a nominal fee per puppy, even just twenty-five dollars, would be enough to make someone stop for a moment and think about whether they are truly prepared and willing to take on the challenge of raising a puppy. It might also be enough for less than upstanding citizens to pass the opportunity by.

Rescuing Puppies

Most people who are willing to take free puppies have the very best of intentions, but unless they look at the situation from every angle they might not realize all that is involved.

Here's a check list of questions you should answer before you even think of looking at a puppy.

• Do you have space for a dog? Some pups grow into large dogs, and no matter what size they become, all will need a fenced yard for exercising.
• Are you allowed to have pets where you live? Not all landlords and condo associations allow pets, so it's definitely something to check on. Some municipalities also have regulations about how many dogs you can own. If you already have at least one dog, you need to find out if there's a limit.
• Does your lifestyle provide enough time to spend with a pet? If your job requires you to spend time out of town, you may need the services of a pet sitter or a professional boarding kennel. Both of these services could incur considerable expense.
• Can you afford the weekly food bill? Puppies should be fed a balanced kibble, not scraps from the table.
• Can you afford vaccinations and other veterinary care? A free puppy isn't likely to come with shots as it normally would from a breeder.
• Are you willing to deal with the rigors of potty training and teaching your puppy not to chew everything in sight? Both take a lot of work.
• Does anyone in your family suffer from dog allergies? No point in bringing a pet home and then having to give it up again.
• Is everyone in your household in agreement about wanting a new puppy? Family discord will quickly follow if you insist on bringing a new dog home when part of the family isn't backing your decision.
• If you have another dog, how likely is it that both pets will get along, and what do you plan to do if they don't?

These are all important questions to be answered, and you may even be able to think of more. The point is to proceed carefully and make sure you've thought of every concern. Make your decision with your head, and not just your heart.

Conclusion

Not all free puppies wind up with an unhappy ending, but the potential is there when decisions are made on the spur of the moment.

If you're giving free puppies away, consider asking for a small fee instead, just to weed out the less than serious. If someone offers to take the whole litter off your hands, be very suspicious about that person's intentions and say no thanks.

If you're on the other end of the situation and truly feel you can give a pup a good home, take some time to go through our checklist to make sure you've covered all the basics. That way you and your free puppy are more likely to have a happy ending.