Free To Good Home?

       Shelters and rescues are frequently criticized for charging an adoption fee. "If you're so anxious to find homes for these pets," we're told, "you should just give them away."

       This attitude makes us shudder. In the first place, these small fees in no way begin to cover the cost incurred for medical treatment and upkeep of the pets we adopt out. Yes, we're anxious to find homes for our animals-- GOOD homes. And many people who take free pets do provide wonderful homes. However, frequently -- much too frequently! -- animal welfare workers are called in to rescue former "free to good home" animals.

    Did you know:

1.   People value what they pay for.

     Pets obtained for free are less likely to be spayed or neutered by their new owners (why bother with vet bills?), and more likely to be abused and/or discarded, because "there are plenty more where that came from!" A recent study at one animal shelter yielded the startling statistic that 51% of all owner-surrendered dogs had been purchased for less than $100; 41% of all owner-surrendered dogs had been obtained "Free to good home."

       This handsome, well-fed-looking fellow is Brutus, and he was spokes-dog for a dog and cat rescue organization for many years. Brutus started life as the pampered friend of "Mark." Brutus and Mark played ball together and walked on the beach together, and, in general, enjoyed each other's company. Then, Mark's company transferred him to a different state. Mark didn't know how to take Brutus with him, or considered it unfair to submit his friend to the trauma of moving, or just plain didn't know that most states DO allow big, good-natured dogs to move in with their masters.

       Whatever the reason, Mark placed an ad in his local newspaper: "Free to good home, friendly, lovable black lab." Someone saw the ad, called Mark, and said, "That's just the dog I've been looking for. Can I come over and see him?" The new person was very nice to Brutus, talked to him, rubbed his ears just the way Brutus liked to have his ears rubbed, and convinced Mark that he and Brutus were just made for each other.

       This is Brutus's new owner's idea of a good home--at the end of a two-foot chain tied to a rope collar, in a garbage-filled backyard, no water dish or food bowl anywhere in sight. This sweet, loving dog was now 20 pounds underweight, suffering from dehydration, malnutrition, fleas, intestinal worms, mange, fly-chewed ears, heartworm, and, worst of all, neglect.

       Luckily for him, neighbors reported the situation. Police and animal welfare rescuers arrived and Brutus was confiscated. The new owner was arrested, charged, and convicted with cruelty to animals. He paid a fine which probably equaled less than Brutus's medical bills.

       Brutus went to the vet for all kinds of medicine, then home with the rescuer for lunch. Several years later, he's been adopted by the volunteer, and still eating! He's well and happy and a bit overweight; greets everyone with a tail wag and a wet kiss. But he still wants you to remember this story and this photo every time you see an ad that says, "Free to good home."

2.   So-called "Bunchers" gather free pets until they have enough for a trip to a Class B Dealer who is licensed by the USDA to sell to sell animals from "random sources" for research.

       The Buncher may only get $25 a head for former pets, while a dealer can between $100 - $450 per pet. The Class B dealer probably already has a contract with certain facilities, and will transport them to other areas within a state, even out of state.

       While, unfortunately, there are legitimate medical reasons to use some animals in experimentation, the majority of reputable medical labs use animals bred for the specific purpose. However, there are many, many different types of animal "research," and many types of facilities that use dogs. Almost every cosmetic, household, and chemical product is tested on animals, including former pets obtained from shelters and Class B Dealers. Veterinary schools and medical schools, and even some engineering schools use dogs and cats in classrooms and "research." Textile manufacturers who make products for medical use test and demonstrate on dogs.

       Research facilities that use live animals in testing are supposed to be registered with the USDA (though not all are); please see the USDA License and Registration lists on their website to see how many facilities use animals for "research" or product testing in your state. (Please note that not all of these use dogs or cats!)

3.   Free animals are taken to "blood" pit-bulls & other fighting dogs -- to train them how to kill, and to enjoy it.

        This can be dogs and cats, of any size. Often, a larger dog's muzzle will be duct-taped shut so that he can't bite back, and the fighting dog will gain confidence in killing a dog larger than he is.

4.   One "adoptor" was blacklisted by shelters and rescue organizations, so he took free kittens to his "good home"--as dinner for a pet snake.

5.   Unspayed or unneutered pure-bred dogs may end up as "breeding stock" in a puppy mill.

       There is nothing sadder for rescuers than to come across a mill breeder who has been a former pet. Imagine being loved, pampered, well-fed, and cherished, then ending up in a tiny cate with wire mesh under your feet, getting little food and no loving attention. Forced to "service" female after female if you are a male dog, and forced to produce litter after litter of puppies if you are a female. Nothing is worse than betrayal of trust -- these animals loved and trusted their former owners to look out for their well-being, and instead, those former owners unknowingly condemned them to a life of torture in the mills.

       One woman told us she believed that if she didn't give away her Dalmatians' AKC registration papers along with the dogs, she could keep them safe from millers.

       Wrong. Unscrupulous breeders, who use puppies as cash crops like other farmers raise cattle, pigs, or chickens, aren't above forging registration papers, or using those from deceased dogs, or making up their own "breed registries" so that they can claim the puppies they sell have "papers." Rescuers have learned the hard to way to make sure that all pets they place have been spayed or neutered before going to new homes.