| Anyone who has ever started looking around for an | | | | but it provides the search function to animal lovers |
| animal to add to the family knows that getting a new | | | | who need a resource to find local shelters. |
| pet can be very expensive, and it seems almost | | | | This is a very comprehensive National Shelter |
| impossible to find a free pet. Many breeders ask for | | | | Directory, and it is a service to help families with lots |
| several hundred dollars, even for the smallest dogs or | | | | of love to offer to connect with animals that need |
| cats. Golden Retrievers are usually $700 to $800, | | | | the love. Buying a pet from a local shelter is |
| Maine Coon cats can cost up to $900 or $1000, and | | | | essentially like getting a free pet, because the fees |
| rare exotic animals run much higher. | | | | to adopt a pet cover many of the upfront medical |
| However, considering all of the pets in the world who | | | | costs you were incur if you'd picked up the animal as |
| are currently homeless, and are living in animal | | | | a stray or free from a classified ad. Animal shelters |
| shelters without a loving family, it seems | | | | take care of the upfront health concerns, so that |
| unreasonable and nonsensical to spend hundreds of | | | | when you adopt a pet from a shelter, you can be |
| dollars for a pet when there are so many who need | | | | certain that the animal is healthy and well cared for. |
| to be saved. | | | | In addition, many shelters offer a unique incentive for |
| While there are a number of animal rescue | | | | people to have their pets properly neutered by |
| organizations and pet shelters around the country, | | | | offering a discount or refund for the procedure with |
| there is only one resource which you should always | | | | local vets. |
| start with, the American Society for the Prevention | | | | ASPCA Adoption Center |
| of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). | | | | The ASPCA Adoption Center provides listings of |
| Healthy Pets Aren't Always Free | | | | hundreds of cats and dogs who need a home. The |
| Before we examine why it's best to start with the | | | | main page of the adoption center explains everything |
| ASPCA, which does charge some fees for adopting | | | | you will need in order to adopt a pet. This is good to |
| and rescuing pets, it's important to note that it is | | | | read even if you aren't going to the ASPCA, because |
| possible to find a free pet, if you are careful and | | | | most shelters require the same information. Things |
| follow a few important guidelines. | | | | you will need if planning to adopt a pet: |
| Searching through the classified ads in the newspaper | | | | - Two forms of identification with your address on it |
| or online classified ads like PetsAds or | | | | (at least one picture ID) |
| PetsClassifieds.us, you can locate listings for free pets | | | | - Two personal references who can be reached by |
| that people are giving away. It's critical to understand | | | | phone |
| that most free pet ads are from people who are | | | | - Proof of vaccination for the pets that you already |
| giving away their pets for the following reasons: | | | | own |
| - They are moving to a place that doesn't take pets. | | | | - Proof of income |
| - They can no longer afford to have a pet. | | | | While this may seem excessive to some people, it's |
| - They found a stray, but can't keep it. | | | | important to understand that there are a lot of |
| These are usually well-meaning people, but keep in | | | | people out there who would not think twice about |
| mind that if they have a pet that they can no longer | | | | harming or being cruel to animals. The job of the |
| afford to keep, the pet may not be 100% healthy. If | | | | ASPCA and all animal shelters across the country, is |
| you do decide to take the classified ad route, just | | | | to protect animals from cruelty, and to make sure |
| remember that most of the things that the fees pay | | | | that animals are placed in homes where they have |
| for at the ASPCA, you will have to pay for anyway - | | | | the best chances of being as loved and cared for as |
| including all shots, medical checkups and neutering. | | | | they deserve to be. |
| It is perfectly okay to find free pets on your own, | | | | The benefits of adopting through the ASPCA (many |
| just remember that pets are never "free". You will | | | | animal shelters offer these same benefits): |
| need to pay for the up-front (and continuing) health | | | | - 14 days of free follow-up vet care |
| care for the rest of it's life. | | | | - A leash, collar, and pet carrier to help bring the |
| ASPCA and Pet Adoption | | | | animal home |
| The ASPCA is a wonderful organization that helps to | | | | - Educational literature about pet behavior and pet |
| promote animal shelters and rescue organizations that | | | | care |
| take excellent care of animals across the country. At | | | | - Free spay/neutering, vaccinations, microchipping and |
| the ASPCA website, you can adopt and save | | | | registration, all provided as part of the adoption fee. |
| homeless animals in the following ways: | | | | Obviously, the only good option for finding a free pet |
| Find a Shelter | | | | is going through the ASPCA, or through a local animal |
| By clicking on the "Find a Shelter" link, you are taken | | | | shelter. This will ensure that you are getting a healthy |
| to a search page where you can search for local | | | | pet, and you can feel good about doing your part to |
| animal shelters by city and state. The ASPCA doesn't | | | | save an animal from a live without a home, and |
| technically endorse the shelters listed by this utility, | | | | without love. |