Free to Good Home: Should You Adopt a Pet Off Craigslist?

You want a pet, so you peruse the "Free to Good Home" ads in the local newspaper or Craigslist. You see puppies, kittens and adult dogs and cats available for free and wonder if getting a pet from these venues is a bargain. Getting a pet for free sounds too good to be true, and yet, there are plenty of amazing match ups that occur due to a potential pet owner answering an ad.

Why People Give Away Pets

The first thing to understand before you answer the ad is to understand why people give away pets. People give away pets for a variety of reasons - some good, many bad. In this economy, pet owners may suddenly be faced with a change of lifestyle where they can no longer care for a pet or may have to move to an apartment where they cannot bring a pet. Service people go overseas and can't take their pets. Other reasons include the pet owner didn't understand the responsibility and amount of care a pet requires, their cat had kittens or their dog had puppies, their pet has some kind of behavioral issues (some easily correctable) or the pet just became inconvenient.

Free Pet Doesn't Equal Free Care

Before you adopt an animal, even for free, be aware that just because the price tag is free doesn't make the pet free. Pets need food, supplies, training and veterinary care (which includes vaccinations, dewormings, checkups and heartworm preventive). If you get an intact cat or dog, you'll need to have it spayed or neutered to keep him healthy and prevent unwanted pregnancies.

Years ago when I worked at a veterinary clinic, I remember a fellow coming in with a puppy he had picked up at a flea market -no joke. He was stunned to hear the cost of vaccinations and deworming (his pup had tapeworm). The cheap or free puppy cost him $60 that first visit. That didn't even cover the recommended neuter.

A Diamond in the Rough?

When looking at a free to good home pet, you may wonder what's wrong with the animal In many cases, the pet is just not the right fit for the former owner. If you're an experienced pet owner, you may discover that the problems the former pet owner had are no big deal. For example, the former owner may have allowed their dog to roam the neighborhood and bark all night. If you have a secure fence and keep your dog in with you at night, this should be no problem. I know of one coworker who got a wonderful dog who was free because the owner didn't want to have the dog neutered. The coworker adopted the dog and got the dog neutered - and they were inseparable.

However, there are certain pets that you want to steer clear of - those with known aggression problems. If the pet acts aggressive or if the pet owner makes a comment that suggests they don't feel safe around the pet, look for another. Only the most experienced pet owners and trainers should attempt to retrain a known aggressive animal, and even then, the animal is a liability. With millions of pets in shelters and free to good home, you can afford to be choosy when it comes to dangerous behavior.

Asking Questions

Many pet owners giving up their pets are often embarrassed by their pet's behavior problems or think that if they told the truth you might not want the pet. A common excuse is that the owner developed allergies to the animal. While the owner may indeed have allergies, it doesn't take months for him to decide to get rid of the pet. My own cat, Hailey, I adopted from a shelter. The owner had suddenly developed allergies after owning her for three years! I discovered the reason why after three years of owning her when she intermittently eliminated outside the litterbox. It was due to a health condition and not a behavioral problem - and was correctable.

Health Issues

Some free to good home pets have basic health issues due to their former owner's neglect. Don't be surprised if your pet has fleas, internal parasites or even heartworm. Many of these pets have been fed bargain pet food that isn't great for their health. Many haven't been vaccinated and need to be. Before you take in a free to good home pet, be aware that some of these issues can be costly to fix - some more than thousands of dollars. If this is something you aren't prepared to face, you may wish to adopt from a shelter that will at least take a pet back for health problems and spend the extra money.

Should You Take A Free To Good Home Pet?

Free to good home pets can be risky, but can also be rewarding. I've adopted cats and dogs that were free to good home and they were excellent pets. At the same time, I've had some problem animals too, so there is a risk. But, if you're willing to take the risk and open your home to one, you'll be saving a life and giving a second chance to an otherwise unwanted pet.

References

Margaret H. Bonham, The Complete Guide to Mutts, Howell Book House, 2004.

Margaret H. Bonham, Bring Me Home: Dogs Make Great Pets, Howell Book House, 2005.

Margaret H. Bonham, Bring Me Home: Cats Make Great Pets, Howell Book House, 2005.