WE DO NOT SUPPORT ”FREE TO GOOD HOME” ADVERTISEMENTS

Your intentions might be considered well meaning, but here are some reasons why you should reconsider!  Animal rescuers can share hundreds of stories about this that ended up in horror stories.

• Some studies have shown that more than 40 % of animals SURRENDERED TO SHELTERS came from the ”free to good home” ads.
• If these animals are not re-homed properly with home checks and sterilization, these animals, countless times, END UP AT PUPPY MILLS.
• NO ANIMAL IS ACTUALLY FREE – Usually the one that gives them away for free, has not and will not spend on the veterinary bill, so this will fall on the new owner. If you are at all a responsible pet owner, you would need to pay sterilization, de-worming, vaccination as well as spend on food, toys and proper shelter. Easily up to R2000 and more!
• You also get the ‘’FLIPPERS’’ who take these animals and resell them for profit. Our local animal welfare organisations can share many horror stories on this too!
• In some cases these animals are used as FOOD FOR HUMAN AND OTHER ANIMALS.
• There are people who could not get animals through reputable shelters, so now they TROLL these kind of posts ‘’free to good home’’. There is a reason that responsible shelters reject some homes, that those who does not work in animal welfare, would consider ”good”.
• There are people who just WANT TO ABUSE ANIMALS, who would take them and this includes dog fighters who use these ”free to good home” as BAIT DOGS/CATS in animal fights. Used for sparring and building up aggression of the pedigree or power breed. Almost like an opening show for the main fight. This however is not limited only to the use of bait dogs, but people who actually just take them to abuse them.
• These ”free to good home” animals are targets for ANIMAL DEALERS. There are people who buy these animals and sell them to dog fighters and to laboratories for animal testing.
• Most people are not a good judge of character and especially when it comes to animal welfare and the ones that have been in the game of fooling you, for a long time. You have to be even better than the average good judge of character.

WHAT IS THE ALTERNATIVE? Contact one of your local animal welfare organisations and do adoptions through them. In some cases you might have to foster the animals, but you can be assured that a proper home check will be done as well as sterilization.

Please REPORT CRUELTY to your local SPCA, SAPS or other animal welfare organisations. Abusing animals and abandonment of animals are crimes under SA law! You can get hefty fines and prison time!

When you support breeders and the “free to good home” sellers, you contribute to animal’s suffering!

IF YOU HAVE VOLUNTEERED ONE DAY IN ANIMAL WELFARE, YOU WILL UNDERSTAND THIS!

Get involved and spread the word! Please sterilize your animals!#adoptdontshop #bewisesterilize