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Perhaps you are changing jobs, have experienced a decline
in health or your new lifestyle means you can no longer care
for your pet. In trying to find a new home for your pet, you
place a "Free Ad" in the newspaper and wait for the phone to
ring. You may reason that it's a great way for people to get a
new pet at no cost and it's definitely better than having the
animal "put to sleep". You've just done a good thing for your
pet, right?... WRONG.
The decision you've made for your pet could be deadly. All
over the country, and even here in our corner of Pennsylvania,
people take pets they find in "free to good home ads" and do
horrible things with them, including selling them to
laboratories for research where most wind up being put through
horrible conditions before dying, or living in unsanitary,
unfit conditions because the person who takes the pet doesn't,
or isn't willing to care for them properly.
Some people even use animals from the free ads as bait in
training other animals to fight, as food for other animals, or
in cult religious practices. Statistics indicate that only one
in five animals in "free to good home" ads actually goes to a
permanent, loving home.
Why would someone do this to your pet? After all, they said
they wanted a pet and would provide a good home for yours.
Cruelty aside, monetary gain appears to be the strongest
motivation for these acts. Unwanted pets placed in some
shelters were once the mainstay of research laboratories.
The Hillside SPCA NEVER releases animals for
experimentation and only adopts out after carefully
interviewing and potential adopter. Today, more and more
communities are prohibiting shelter animals from being used in
experimentation, but not nearly enough. As a result, a "black
market" has stepped in to meet the continuing need for
research animals.
Some laboratories purchase cats, dogs and other animals
specifically bred for experimentation (which many people find
as disgusting as using pets), but many of the animals turn out
to have been someone's former pet. Purchasing an animal from a
"broker" costs a lab far less than purchasing one bred for the
purpose. Even so, the "broker" who is selling the pets makes a
good deal of money off the transaction. So, you can see why
this type of person would be quite willing to lie, perhaps
even go to unusual measures, to obtain your animal.
We have encountered several instances in our area of
Pennsylvania in which people gathered pets from "free ads" and
sold them to laboratories in the area for experimentation. We
have also had severe problems with individuals who simply
"collect" animals from the ads - for one reason or another -
but are not equipped to care for them properly. We wind up
confiscating the animals when we find out about them and
bringing them here to the Hillside to try to place them in
proper, loving homes. Many times, these animals are
traumatized beyond belief from the horrible conditions they
endured. Imagine being given away by the owner you love
dearly, not knowing why you are leaving your home or why you
don't see them anymore, then being subjected to filthy
conditions, other animals - some diseased and dying - abuse
and neglect and lack of proper food, water and medical care.
We urge you NEVER to place "free to good home" type ads. If
you insist on placing a "free ad" remember that you cannot
guarantee where your animal will go, but there are some ways
in which you can screen potential "adopters". For these tips
to work, you must be willing to make the effort and check out
the new owner BEFORE turning over your pet to him/her.
Defense Tips:
It's a wonderful thing to provide a home to a pet, but before
you bring one home, please be realistic in your expectations
and your abilities.
- Can you provide, and does your lifestyle allow you, the
time to properly care for your pet?
- Do you have the time needed to exercise him and feed
him.
- Do you have the resources to provide him with good
medical care and plenty of food?
- If you live with others, are they willing to help in
caring for the pet?
- Do you move a lot? If you aren't sure of whether you can
really care for a pet, don't get one.
Don't leave your pet unattended in the yard or your vehicle.
Pet snatchers can strike any times, anywhere...even in small
towns and rural areas.
Have your pet neutered or spayed as soon as possible before
you have to find homes for unwanted kittens or puppies.
Have your pet tattooed or have them implanted with a "micro
chip". Laboratories are required to check on this when
receiving animals for experimentation and report the animals
presence to the owner if they receive one that can be
identified via these methods.
Don't consider advertising in the "free ads" to be your
only way of getting a new home for your pet. Veterinarians,
breed rescue leagues and your local shelter are all places you
can contact before considering an ad.
If you are still considering an ad, word your advertisement
carefully. Sounding "desperate" to get rid of your pet is more
likely to attract people interested in taking advantage of the
situation.
Ask for a reasonable fee instead of giving your pet away
through a "free ad". People who sell to brokers usually sell
them for $10 to $25 a piece. With so many free animals
advertised, they are less likely to pay for yours if their
motives are shady. Honest individuals should be more than
willing to pay a small fee, especially if you explain the
reasons. If they cannot afford the fee, how will they be able
to afford food and veterinary care for the animal? If you
don't want to keep the fee, donate it to a shelter or pay to
have an animal spayed or neutered.
Take the time to screen callers on the phone before
inviting them to come to your home to see your pet. When you
meet, don't let the urgency of having to place your pet cloud
your judgment. Trust your gut feelings. If you have any doubts
about the person or the potential new home, say, "No". It's
better to risk sounding rude than to be sorry later.
- Ask each prospective owner for his/her veterinarian's
name as a reference and check it.
- Ask for identification in the form of a photo I.D. Write
down the information.
- Ask for a phone number and explain that you'd like to
check on how the animal's doing. Again, an honest person
will gladly share the information with you.
- Have the person sign an "adoption" contract concerning
your pet stating that they will not go to research. Having
this in writing gives you legal recourse.
- Ask to visit the place where your pet will live before
your release the pet to the new owner.
Don't assume because someone brings their wife or children
that they are honest and will give your pet a good home. There
are documented case in which "brokers" brought their children
with them when collecting animals so that they would look
"legitimate".
If time is of the essence and you must leave your pet,
please take it to a reputable public or private shelter rather
than give it away free to someone you don't know anything
about.
Unlike selling a used care or appliance, finding a home for
your beloved pet is an emotional as well as practical
experience. If you act with your heart and avoid acting in
haste, you'll be headed in the right direction.
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