Where can I get a dog for free?
You want to get a dog but don't want to dish out couple hundred dollars. You're wondering 'where can I get a dog for free?' Fortunately for you there are many places where you can get a dog for free. Well nearly free. You still have to pay a small fee to cover their medical treatment and care but trust me; you'd rather pay a little to get a dog that has received proper medical treatment than a stray dog for free.
Where can I get a dog for free? Your best bet of getting a free but healthy dog will be a locally run dog shelter or dog pound. These places are funded by the local government but have limited space to house all abandoned dogs. So they give away dogs to caring owners for free. When you get a dog from a shelter or pound, the dog will basically be free but you need to pay an adoption fee. Adoption fee? You're probably thinking this fee is a pricing strategy to fool you into paying for the dog. But I assure you there are good reasons for the adoption fee and I will explain to you next.
The adoption fee is generally between $100 and $300 and it covers the cost of medical treatment and care the dog received, including basic vet check-up, vaccination shots, deworming, and the food and water he drank. This fee also ensures the dog is going to a caring owner and not picked up by profiteers that resell dogs as laboratory animals. The range in adoption fee is due to whether neutering is included in the package and license fees required by certain places.
Most shelters have policies that ensure no further unwanted animals end up there, which means you must neuter or spay your dog during adoption. Depending on the shelter, neutering may already be included in the adoption fee. In some cases, if the dog is not neutered at the time of release, you will be asked to leave a deposit which will be reimbursed once you have proof of the surgery.
I hope I have answered you question 'Where can I get a dog for free'. As I have explained, adopting a dog is not 100% free, but it is the best deal you can get. For truly free dogs, you can get one from a friend or pick up a stray dog, but you will end up spending the same if not more on medical treatments like vet check-up, vaccination shots, etc that dog shelters provide at a discount.
Remember that the cost of petting a dog does not stop when you have paid the adoption fee. There are other one-time expenses and recurring costs of petting a dog. You should consider all the cost of petting a dog before hand to ensure you can look after the dog for the rest of his life. One-time expenses include all the dog products like leash, collar, bowls and bed. Recurring expenses include veterinary care, dog insurance and dog food. Just buying the initial items for your dog will cost you several hundred dollars. After that, dog food and vet care will cost you another thousand dollars per year. So to be a responsible owner, you will need to reserve $1500 per year to provide good care for your dog.
Many people ask 'where can I get a dog for free' without realizing the initial cost of buying a dog is small compared to the costs of petting a dog. If you haven't carefully considered the costs of petting a dog, you may end up putting unnecessary financial stress on yourself and even inadequate care for the animal. Take a look at "Should I get a dog" to see if you are ready to adopt a dog.
More information about dog shelters and breed rescues - Where can I get a dog for free?
Nonprofit Dog Shelter is something that started in the 1960s who's aim was to get stray dogs off the street and rehome them. Despite of their best intentions, many dog shelters were unfunded and overcrowded. The dogs were given weeks to be adopted and then were euthanized. Today, more effort is put in marketing the adoptable animals and the animals are generally given more time before they are killed. In addition, prospective adopters are often required to fill out lengthy applications and may even be subject to home inspections to prove they have what it takes to pet a dog. If you are thinking 'where can I get a dog a free', your local nonprofit dog shelter should definitely be on the top of your list.
Breed Rescues were established in response to the high number of purebreds being abandoned. Some are large organizations with hundreds of foster homes that can take in thousands of dogs a year. Others are smaller that look after less than fifty dogs. Breed rescues generally charge more than double what a nonprofit shelter charges. Apart from being a purebred, the dogs are generally given more attention and received training and socialization by being fostered in a home environment. Those interested in purebreds get the benefit of saving a life while still adopting the breed of their choice. Breed rescues have strict adoption policies, often requiring home visits and references. If you asked 'where can I get a dog for free?' and you only want a purebred, then breed rescue centers are the place for you.
Save a life and get a dog for free - Where can I get a dog for free?
There is no better place to get a dog than your local dog shelter. Not only do you get a dog for free but you also save a life. To give you a picture of how serious dog overpopulation is, 4 million dogs enter shelters each year. And of the 4 million dogs, half of them are euthanized by shelters because they are not adopted. That is 2 million dogs every year!
If you are still asking 'Where can I get a dog for free', go visit your local dog shelter right away!
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