Pets "free to good home" - Advice
I am not on here to start a war or point fingers at those who have listed a pet as "free to good home" but I couldn't help but notice that there are currently two dogs under classifieds listed as free. Please, please, please if you are re-homing your pet, for their safety, require some kind of re-homing fee! Even if it's $75 or $100. Do your research, all you have to do is Google it... Dogs that are listed as free end up in the wrong hands way too often. Just recently here in hackettstown a man got a hold of a free kitten and brutally killed it. His name was posted all over Facebook so people knew not to adopt to him. Type in "puppy doe" and you will read the most horrific story of a dog that was given away for free on Craigslist. And finally, I just read an article about a man that tortured and killed at least 29 dogs that were given away "free to good home" on Craigslist. There are sick people in this world and although we live in a great town, you just never know and better safe than sorry! Require a re-homing fee, and check into who you are giving your beloved pet too. I cannot stress this enough!
Anom Same goes for horses if you don't ask for more than the butcher , that's where they end up
Cowgirl1 
5catmom Thank you for posting - I was going to send an email, but did not as yet, so very glad that you have addressed this. Did you respond to the classified because the person may not read the forum. So many sick people out there.
Nature Lover Make sure you choose a home within driving distance and GO THERE to see where you're pet will be living and get identification.
sallysimpson I did not email yet. If several of us send nice emails maybe they will realize how serious it can be. I can't stop thinking about it :(
Another thing..... make a short contract. Here is an example, can copy and paste it.
(person adopting this pet)________________agrees by adopting this pet(pet name and type)___________, that they will provide proper veterinary care, food, water, shelter and lots of love and attention. __________also agrees that if they cannot keep this pet, that they will let me know. (person giving pet)___________will not be held liable for any vet bills or any other financial liabilities regarding above said pet.
Thank you for posting. One of those free dogs is 11 years old. Those adds have been troubling me too, especially because we touch on the topic of dog fighting, dognapping, and the like A LOT here on the forum.
Weebiekins Personally I think this is a bit of an overreaction. In reading this you all are leaving me with the impression that a good majority of my neighbors are slime buckets! You can believe that if you wish, but not all of us choose to do so. And does anyone really think that the huge percentage of dog nappers/dog fighters in our midst are all broke and can't afford a few dollars to invest in their "business", that charging a few dollars will stop this unseen majority from wreaking the havoc and mayhem on our pet population?
Yes, of course this happens, but like so many other issues today I think it is wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy overblown. Does anyone have any statistics on this, how prevalent it is in our area?
I guess to the extreme, extreme, minority of "good" people in the world, the message to you is "no good deed goes unpunished"!
justintime 
botheredbyuu2 I agree with jit as well.
It saddens me most that somebody wants to re-home an 11 year old pet. :-(
Calico696 If they can't care for it anymore, take it to a no-kill shelter. There is one in Broadway, Rt 57, Dr. Blease.
I agree with justintime. I'm sure the fear around this issue has kept more pets from good homes because of an adoption fee, than has prevented pets from falling into the wrong hands. It's an overblown issue and "worst-case scenario" thinking in action.
And I agree, Calico, it is sad to see someone give up an 11 year old pet. :-(
Aquarius Maybe it is being "overblown" but to us animal lovers, we think better safe than sorry. And yes there are statistics that lots of sick people take FREE dogs... They will not pay a small fee because there are so many free animals available. If they put a small price on the pet, it eliminates the (small) potential that someone sick would take the animal. I love this town! I'm not saying that it's filled with slime buckets, but isn't it better to be safe than sorry? I would think so.
I help with a rescue group based of out NY. I see and hear a lot of really terrible things so maybe I'm paranoid. But any rescue will tell you if you're re-homing your pet, put a small fee on the animal, not to make a profit but for their own safety.
Has anyone contacted the posters? If not, once again, we are just talking to eachother.
A couple years ago,an elderly gentleman in shoprite told me he had two small terriers mixed breed, 6 yrs old. His wife recently passed away and he had to move and couldn't take them along. He said the shelter in Broadway wanted $200 per dog to relinquish into their care. When he told them he was broke and didn't have the money, they refuse them. I have heard similar scenarios about that place.I couldn't believe it, so I called the place, and sure enough I pretty much got the same thing.... no money, no take doggie. I understand that it takes money to run the place, however they constantly have tricky trays, fancy expensive horse shows, people donating on a monthly basis, banquets, golf outings and the donation to adopt the pet to offset the vet bills, who just happens to own the place. Did you ever see their newsletter? Very high end and glossy with very expensive advertising in it.
They didn't ask the future fate of his pets. Same with me when I made my "inquiry call ". When he told them he was broke, the call was over. So much for "animal welfare ". They refused to help this man but they will run down south to get their hands on any adoptable pets. Ironic that there is a fee on pet licenses for "pet over population " when it seems to me there's a shortage if we are importing them from other states to keep up with the demand. I know this post probably belongs on another topic, however I love animals SO MUCH, I get angry when the public gets fooled by propaganda and the days of the "old town dog pound " are now legal pet stores. If someone actually relinquished a pet to a "rescue " in this area and didn't pay, I would love to hear about it. If I didn't already have two cats, I would have taken his dogs in a heart beat !! I worry about the pets that are refused and possibly end up in the wrong hands because of money.
I think the point is, someone listing an animal under the classifieds may not be aware of the potential problems of their dog becoming a bait animal, going to an unscrupulous reseller, or an impulse buy in an inexperienced home. Rescues screen applicants for a reason. Pet adoption league in Htown will advertise and seek a home for your pet through their website and adoptions for a $10 donation http://palpets.org/home_for_my_pet.htm
The 11 year old pitbull would benefit from a local or pitbull rescue that can find a great home from someone who is looking for just that kind of dog. Matching a dog and owner makes for the best, most stable home for the animal - and that's what rescues are generally great at doing.
I have always contacted these ads on this site and others, and usually don't get a response but hopefully the person is a bit more aware of why this can be a problem.
Also, a breeder unloading puppies on this site really really sucks. There are millions of animals euthanized everyday, stop making more.
kepaAnom, I am an animal lover, and I don't believe in "better safe than sorry." I believe in doing what is right for most animals, and that is giving them the best chance of being placed in a loving home. Given that the *vast majority* of people looking to take on the care of an unwanted pet (especially an older one) are doing so out of kindness, putting barriers on that to dissuade a very few bad actors is not achieving that.
It is a good idea to point out this problem. The people who are giving up their pets may not be aware that such a thing even exists. I wasn't aware until now.
I also think it is a very good thing that the people want their pets to go to a good home and family. A family that perhaps can't afford to buy a pet but may want one.
It would have been a better start to a thread like this if some tips were also suggested on how to avoid these predators. Such as ask about the family who are adopting. Meet the children. Get a name and do a quick search.
I do understand that it could happen in our area. We have had people luring via various social sites , we've had child porn in our area too. Life is full of risks.
CBGB Kepa....where are "millions of animals being euthanized "? I would love to know the names of the shelters and where are they located. What species, snakes? Fish? Cats? dogs? Ferrets?. What are the ages? Health? Temperaments?
sally - According to the ASPCA, approximately 2.7 million unowned animals are euthanized per year.
https://www.aspca.org/about-us/faq/pet-statistics
Here you go Sally, 200 different dogs euthanized in NYC municipal shelters in the past few months, that rescues could not pull http://www.urgentpetsondeathrow.org/gbnf-dogs-39/
Here is a description of one dog from NYC that died 10/18/14 for lack of a home "A volunteer writes: Melo stands out in his kennel. He is a beautiful and elegant dog, his slender body perched on very long legs and wrapped in a well groomed cinnamon and latte coat. Melo is a mix between a Boxer and some kind of Hound or Pointer. He seems ready for all fall activities in the country side or even Central Park. I see him running though the fields or the Big Meadow next to his master, ears flapping in the air, nose up, searching for scents… Melo would be so happy. He is a strong dog and pulls on the leash. He attends right away to business. His den is clean. Free in a pen, Melo slows down and inspects the premises, comes to my lap and checks me out. He is a bit aloof at first. I show him a tennis ball. Melo is now focused. He is ready to play. He is quite a good ball player and retriever but also likes to cajole the ball between his mouth and forelegs. He is sooo relaxed, laying and stretching by my feet , chewing away his ball and enjoying caresses. Melo can sit on command and for treats that he takes politely from my hand. We are good friends now…Melo comes on the bench and gives me a kiss . Melo was surrendered into our care as his owners had no time for a pet anymore. He is looking therefore for a new master or family who can appreciate and enjoy a friendly, gorgeous, active , athletic and energetic dog. Melo is waiting for you at the Manhattan Care Center."
These are "local" dogs, not pulled from VA or NC, that are now dead. Picked up as strays/owner surrenders. Eleventh Hour Rescue and Common Sense do not solely operate on puppies from the south. People created the pet overpopulation problem, let's own up to it, not dismiss it, and work forward towards a wanted pet population.
If someone cannot afford a rehoming fee of $75 or $100 then they should not have the pet. Vet bills can be extremely expensive and if they cannot afford $75, they probably will not be able to afford proper vet care. Like I said, not trying to start a war or a disagreement but the fact of the matter is that bad things happen WAY too often to free pets. Like I said... Just a couple months ago IN HACKETTSTOWN a man got a kitten that was free and beat it to death with a pipe. He was on "do not adopt" lists at rescues all over the area. I agree that it's not common in this area, but it does and can happen and I thought it was important to point it out. In addition to asking for a rehoming fee, i agree with CBGB... Ask questions, meet the family, ask about former pets and their vet, etc. All I'm saying is there are things that can be done to prevent bad things from happening.
Aquarius
"I'm sure the fear around this issue has kept more pets from good homes because of an adoption fee,"
If someone can't afford to pay $50 or $100 for a pet, I doubt they can afford to give it proper care. Those fees aren't unreasonable for someone who wants a pet.
Jazzykatt Wow! Ok, first of all, if someone is not willing to pay a fee for a pet then they sure are not ready to own or care for a pet. Owning a pet does comes at a cost...food, litter, vet expenses, etc. So, if you can't afford to pay a fee, then you sure enough can't afford to own a pet, responsibly. I've seen ppl take in free pets but don't want to do anything beyond that. Don't take the time to groom or get them groomed, take the dogs for a walk, give them attention, get them spayed or neutered and especially not vet care. A responsible owner is willing to make a donation or pay a fee. There is NO way that I would just give away a pet "free" to some stranger, unless I went to their house, got references and requested that they just send an update with pics...just a couple times to put my head at ease. Find out if they had pets in the past and ask who their vet was and call them for a reference. A contract sounds good too, but even then..just a total stranger..I would want some type of mutual friend.
Sometimes I wonder when I see elderly pets to be given away for free, if they might have some medical issues that the owners don't want to deal with or have to pay for. If they could be sick and owners don't want to disclose that.
villani kapa -Your link is a reality check for sure. Even though I already knew how bad the situation is, the pictures of those sweet dogs still shook me up and brought tears to me eyes.
As the owner of a rescued pitbull, it's especially sad for me to see that the majority of the dogs euthanized are pitbulls.
People do need to try to keep unwanted/unnecessary litters from being born.
"if someone is not willing to pay a fee for a pet then they sure are not ready to own or care for a pet"
Nonsense. And it has nothing to do with "afford" either. There are plenty of people giving away unwanted animals for free. Why would I pay $75-100 for one if I don't have to?
ianimal I don't think a fee is unreasonable. For pet lovers, they are worth every penny. It doesn't equate to getting a free coffee at dunkin donuts. They become part of your family.
When you pay a (decent) rescue a fee, you are getting a pet that is behaviorally and physically evaluated as well as altered. There are legally binding contracts signed that will hold the group responsible if a known condition was not disclosed to the adopter. A first visit with a dog can be very different from its real personality - which could lead to an unpleasant situation (a "friendly" seeming dog with food aggression would not be good around kids, etc). You are also donating to help the shelter or rescue continue to help unwanted animals.
Why would you want a free pet from a newspaper ad where you might not know what you're getting?
Why would a shelter euthanize an animal if they don't get a donation for it? Melo, for example (if Melo even exists), will be killed if they don't get paid for him? Yes... because they need money to operate. The logic doesn't add up. Euthanasia before donation? Makes me sick. I LOVE ANIMALS... more than most people I know.
Oh, please. Don't lecture me about the expenses involved in caring for a pet. Or being able to afford one either. I've had several and I've taken very good care of them, sometimes at great personal expense, and they have all become part of my family. So that's a no-go with me.
I know plenty of people who would make it their business to cough up vet fees once they've adopted a free animal but would not pay $50 or $75 for an 11 year old dog. And these people having that dog would be far better than seeing it euthanized, or whiling away in a shelter, or going from foster to foster.
And charging a fee that might prevent someone loving from adopting a pet is not going to prevent someone who wants to be cruel to an animal from finding another to be cruel to. A person who wants to beat a kitten with a pipe is going to find one.
Sally - this dog was housed in an NYC municipal (animal control) shelter. AC picks up strays and surrenders in the city. These dogs died because NO ONE ADOPTED THEM - because there are more dogs than available homes in the US. Shelters cost money to operate, hence animals cost money to adopt. Should the animal languish in a kennel for years if no one come forward?
If your dog got loose and was never claimed, or you surrendered it - it would obviously go to a shelter - Happy Tails or Common Sense in this area. What if no one adopted the dog? If a shelter cannot manage no-kill, then the animal is euthanized. Simple. We a are a less populated area so no-kill rescues can manage easier.
Does paying $100 for a kitten somehow make it a more loved part of my family than a kitten that I got for free?
Not sure how that works... should I love my son more because he cost me $8 grand and I didn't have to pay anything at all to the hospital or doctors when my daughter was born? Since she was free, she's not as important?
Or, should I have offered to pay $8k even though I didn't have to, just to show that I loved her equally? I'm having a hard time correlating money with love.
Aquarius...... you're right on. You don't buy the propaganda, either. You have common sense. I too would rather take a chance that a pet WILL be cared for, even if they don't have a lot of money than to euthanize it.
people who want bait dogs are most interested in free ones-
and rescues have to charge - vet care, shots, spay/neutering, worming, testing, bathing, temperament testing - etc - very rare for rescues to be properly funded -
Kepa...what happens to the animals who don't pass the "evaluation "? Maybe they are euthanized..... part of the "2.7million" out of the 60 million that are currently owned and loved.
I sent a message to someone on classifieds who listed Free to a Good home the other day. It is sad, but true, that horrible people look for posts just like that. Better safe than sorry. A re-homing fee is to try and deter people with bad intentions.
LAS 5catmom – unfortunately so very true
“Does paying $100 for a kitten somehow make it a more loved part of my family than a kitten that I got for free?”
No it doesn’t, but you are getting a kitten that has been fully vetted, is in good health, a free spay/neuter certificate if that hasn’t been done already, a two week “health umbrella” with our vets in case you think there is a health issue and a lifetime return policy. The Spay/Neuter alone costs, without a discount in the range of $250-$300 for a female (and that isn’t including the cost of vaccines and tests) so your “free kitten” isn’t free if you are going to take proper care of it.
Reputable rescues ask for a donation to offset the cost of vetting the animal. As an example - the rescue that I am with asks for a $100 adoption donation for cats. We spend around $250 per cat (that’s after the discount our vets give us). Their vetting includes fiv/l testing, vaccines, fecal testing, deworming, defleaing, spay/neuter. Often we spend well over the $250 because many times the cats come in with health issues. In the last month or so we’ve had a cat come in with severe frostbite that required amputation surgery, another with kidney stones that also required surgery, yet another with hyperthyroidism and dental issues and that’s not counting all the ones that came in with URI’s, dental issues, coccidia or giardia that have to be taken care of before adoption . Then there is just the day to day expenses of food, litter, toys etc…, we don’t get much of that for free either.
espo "people who want bait dogs are most interested in free ones"
Trying to keep an open mind here, but I'll call BS on this as well. That's a pretty broad brush you just used. Can you tell us the percentage of animal owners who want "bait dogs"?
Like others, why in the world would I pay a dime for a pet? Maybe because the breeders have done such a good job brainwashing the public so they have exclusivity of the market? No thanks.
Justintime please look into it. Free dogs posted on sites such as this and craigslist have, and will continue to end up at bait dogs or have other terrible fates.
I paid adoption fees for both of my dogs and had no issue doing it. My pets came to me fixed, microchipped, and up to date on all of their shots. That stuff is not free.
I want to know who in their right mind ever paid $250-300 to have a cat spayed or neutered. I don't think I paid that much for every cat I ever owned combined.
It's not just spaying/neutering. It goes towards shots and health care as well as keeping the rescue in operation to continue helping other homeless pets.
I volunteered for a few years at a shelter and they don't make a profit on the adoption fees. In fact, they take a loss. Most of those places do it for the love of animals. The money they do take in goes to rescue more animals that need it and feed and care for the ones they have. When you pay those fees, you are also helping the animals not yet adopted. Fundraisers only go so far. Without volunteers and contributions, these places wouldn't exist.
Giving away pets for free makes it more accessible for abusers to get their hands on them. If they are looking to get a free animal for malicious intent, they will take the free one before the one with a price tag attached to it. Every little bit of prevention goes a long way.
If your goal is to fund animal shelters, then that's fine and it makes sense. Personally, I just like cats... I reserve my charitable contributions to help my fellow humans. As long as there are homeless women and children, I can't personally justify giving money to be spent saving homeless dogs and cats... but that's just me; I'm not judging those who do or anything.
I agree with every post from ianimal on this topic. Doesn't happen often. LOL
i adopted a cat last year from 11th hour and his adoption fee was $80. i didn't think twice about the fee because they had been feeding him, taken him to the vet and gotten up to date shots, and kept him safe. i figured for all of that $80 was well worth it to pay them back. i honestly feel that if someone wants to get a pet to hurt it they're going to succeed no matter if they have to pay $10 or $200. pretty sickening, but i'd like to believe the majority of people adopting are good hearted animal lovers.
I disagree Old School. I don't think an abuser is going to pay $200 for a dog or cat just to kill it. They are searching for free pets, stealing them or just picking up neighborhood cats/dogs, wether they are pets or strays.
The reason to pay for a pet from a shelter is because you take them home already spayed and with shots. If doing a private adoption through the classifieds...no, I don't think you should be paying an $80 adoption fee if the dog or cat has not been vetted and you have to pay for spaying and shots yourself. Just a simple $10, background check and reference check is good.
THANK YOU....IANIMAL!!! Somebody said it!!! There's like 100 or so dog and cat "rescues "....about 15 just in this area. How many human rescues are there? Don't get me wrong .....I am all for helping homeless or abused animals, however the numbers don't add up.... too many people around here without teeth, while the Broadway shelter has a tricky tray to raise $3000 so they can clean a cats teeth. And why can't the vet bill his own shelter a lesser fee to care for some of these animals. After all, he has an excellent reputation and plenty of regular customers, including most of the adopters. I get it... the poor animals don't have a choice ....but neither do some people. I am glad there are places that help animals...... we just need more groups to help people.
sallysimpson - some of us give to all sorts of causes - and you may remember we did a pajama collection as well as a holiday gift collection for those in need -
I have an association with several rescues - dog/cat and wildlife - and the vets do have special rates for rescues - but you surely don't expect them to work for free - do you?
you should feel free to start a campaign here if there is a cause you feel strongly about -
but that shouldn't take away from rescues that care for mostly dumped or lost pets while trying to find them homes
Sally, I've raised $700 last year for a local homeless shelter network that also helps provide job opportunities to displaced moms, and $600 for Abilities that teaches life skills and trades to local disabled folks. I have spent far less at the rescue where I adopted my dog.
I agree - people are number one. But what does that have to do with you not believing healthy adoptable pets are euthanized daily (it definitely happens), or that a rescue does legitimate work? Common Sense and Dr. Blease have some fundamental problems besides the help they give to strays, in my opinion, but that is neither here nor there. You doubted my statements and seem combative in general, whereas ianimal stated their beliefs in a much more productive way.
Go help people instead of complaining, or save a dog that's due to die today if you'd prefer.
Everybody believes in donating to different causes. There are some places that I donate to that many wouldn't give a dime to and vice verse. Who is anybody to judge where anybody else donates or doesn't donate their own money?
+1000 Kepa and Calico
I personally like animals more than many humans but am charitable to all types of organizations. I work for my money and can donate it any way I want.
Humans often have the ability to help themselves while animals often don't. Why don't we just start eating the homeless cats and dogs instead of raising livestock?
Challah I'm glad to hear (not that it is any of my business), that you're into all living things and everyone in this "thread" is so caring and helpful. keep up the good work everyone and God bless you're hearts.
There is a new listing for "free male cat" in Htwn classifieds. I have e-mailed them with my concerns about this and some suggestions. It would probably help if others did too . Would be taken more seriously. Just be concerned but polite.
Dansker There are a number of animals listed as free in the classifieds right now. Why doesn't everyone know not to do that? :-((
Rebecka When I adopted my handsome mutt 7 years ago, it was through a friend of a friend of my ex. I'd told her to go ahead and take our Australian Shepherd since I knew she needed the company and she'd heard through them of a dog that needed a new home badly and let me know. They brought him around for us to meet, then for the final hand over, the actual owner wanted to meet me to check out where he'd be living and to make sure I had the qualifications to own a dog. She was shocked that he got along with me, since he was very hesitant around guys normally, but she could see personally that he took to me right away and she also had me sign an adoption contract.
She didn't charge me anything to adopt him, which was good, because it gave me more money to be able to buy treats, harness and other things. Of course, it did turn out that he needed surgery to remove a large amount of follicular cysts from an injury that existed even before the earlier owner got him and he cost me $1600, so in the long run, he wasn't free, except in terms of transfer fee, so to speak. That said, he'd gone through a whole lot as a puppy medically even before I got him, including the "bad food" issue from that time period!
I can't really say whether or not it's a good thing to charge an adoption fee, but rather it's more important to use your friend and acquaintance network first of all and make sure the person you're adopting them to has references otherwise.
Phil D. Well years ago I responded to an ad on the Riverbend. A family who just had a baby was giving away a beautiful 3 year old Golden Retriever. Well, I responded and took him right away, 4 months later he died of kidney disease. He was the very first dog I ever had and he was so loving, sensitive to other's feelings. He was amazing and I still haven't gotten over it.
positive Just because a person loves animals doesn't mean that they don't love people..that's just downright obsurd.
I'm a big animal lover but I have no problem helping people when I can.
There are several residents at the nursing home where I work who either have no family members or family members that do not care. I try to help them the best I can by buying stuff that they need and can't afford.
There is no reason to jump to conclusions.. just because a person appreciates animals.
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