(OT) DID YOU KNOW -Free to A Good Home ....

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DID YOU KNOW -Free to A Good Home ....

 

Dogs

Free to a Good Home?

 

By Michelle Crean, Animal Aid of Southwest Michigan

 

Animal Aid and other pet organizations have frequently been criticized

for charging an adoption fee. " If you're so anxious to find homes for

these pets, " we're told, " you should just give them away. " This

attitude makes us shudder. In the first place, these small fees in no

way begin to cover the cost incurred for medical treatment and upkeep

of the pets we adopt out. Yes, we're anxious to find homes for our

animals--GOOD homes. And some people who take free pets do provide

wonderful homes. However, frequently--much too frequently!--Animal Aid

is called in to rescue former " free to good home " animals.

 

Did you know:

 

1) People value what they pay for. Pets obtained for free are are less

likely to be spayed or neutered by their new owners (why bother with

vet bills?), and more likely to be abused and/or discarded, because

" there are plenty more where that came from! " A recent study at one

animal shelter yielded the startling statistic that 51% of all

owner-surrendered dogs had been purchsed for less than $100; 41% of

all owner-surrendered dogs had been obtained " Free to good home. "

 

As an example is the tale of Brutus, an Animal Aid rescue. The

pampered friend of " Mark, " the pair played ball, walked on the beach

together and, in general, enjoyed each other's company. However, Mark

found himself in the situation where he had to give Brutus up. He

placed an ad in his local newspaper: " Free to good home, friendly,

lovable black lab. " Someone saw the ad, called Mark, and said, " That's

just the dog I've been looking for. Can I come over and see him? " The

new person was very nice to Brutus, talked to him, rubbed his ears

just the way Brutus he liked, and convinced Mark that he and Brutus

were just made for each other.

 

Unfortunately, Brutus's new owner's idea of a good home was at the end

of a two-foot chain tied to a rope collar, in a garbage-filled

backyard, with no water dish or food bowl anywhere in sight. When

Animal Aid arrived, accompanied by a policeman, this sweet, loving dog

was now 20 pounds underweight, suffering from dehydration,

malnutrition, fleas, intestinal worms, mange, fly-chewed ears,

heartworm, and, worst of all, neglect. The new owner was arrested,

charged, and convicted with cruelty to animals. He paid a fine which

probably equalled less than Brutus's medical bills.

 

Brutus went to the vet for all kinds of medicine, then home with the

volunteer for lunch. Several years later, he's been adopted by the

volunteer, and still eating! He's well and happy and a bit overweight;

greets everyone with a tail wag and a wet kiss. But he still wants you

to remember this story every time you see an ad that says, " Free to

good home. "

 

2) So-called " Bunchers " gather free pets until they have enough for a

trip to a Class B Dealer who is licensed by the USDA to sell animals

from " random sources " for research. The Buncher may only get $25 a

head for former pets, while a dealer can between $100 - $450 per pet.

The Class B dealer probably already has a contract with certain

facilities, and will transport them to other areas within a state,

even out of state.

 

While, unfortunately, there are legitimate medical reasons to use some

animals in experimentation, the majority of reputable medical labs use

animals bred for the specific purpose. However, there are many, many

different types of animal " research, " and many types of facilities

that use dogs. Almost every cosmetic, household, and chemical product

is tested on animals, including former pets obtained from shelters and

Class B Dealers. Veterinary schools and medical schools, and even some

engineering schools use dogs and cats in classrooms and " research. "

Textile manufacturers who make products for medical use test and

demonstrate on dogs, frequently retired racing greyhounds.

 

Research facilities that use live animals in testing are supposed to

be registered with the USDA (though not all are); the USDA list of

such facilities on their website cites 34 in the state of Michigan,

mostly colleges and universities, as well as Borgess Medical Center,

Dow Chemical, Dow Corning, Pharmacia & Upjohn, etc. (Please note that

not all of these use dogs or cats.)

 

3) Free animals are taken to " blood " pit-bulls--to train fighting dogs

how to kill, and to enjoy it. This can be dogs and cats, of any

size--in fact, rescuers suspect that a recently rescued cat was used

in this manner. Often, a larger dog's muzzle will be duct-taped shut

so that he can't bite back, and the fighting dog will gain confidence

in killing a dog larger than he is.

 

4) One " adoptor " in this area took free kittens to his " good home " --as

dinner for a pet snake.

 

5) Unspayed or unneutered pure-bred dogs may end up as " breeding

stock " in a puppy mill. One woman was certain that if she didn't give

away her Dalmatians' AKC registration papers along with the dogs, she

could keep them safe from millers. Wrong. Unscrupulous breeders, who

use puppies as cash crops like other farmers raise cattle, pigs, or

chickens, aren't above forging registration papers, or using those

from deceased dogs. Rescuers have learned the hard to way to make sure

that all pets they place have been spayed or neutered before going to

new homes.

 

6) So-called " collectors " watch the newspapers for Free to Good Home

animals. These collectors truly believe they are " rescuing " the

animals. Animal Aid had dealings with one such collector, right here

in Southwestern Michigan.

 

When the two Animal Aid volunteers and the policeman walked up the

steps of an ordinary-looking house in Galien, MI, they had no idea

they were walking into a living hell. Neighbors had complained about

foul smells coming from the house; the owner, they said, kept dozens

of cats in there, but they hadn't seen her in a couple of weeks.

 

The place smelled, all right; a strong odor assaulted their noses the

minute they got out of the car. Still, nothing in their experiences

could have prepared them for what stunned their senses as they opened

that front door: the unimaginable sights and silence and

stomach-churning stench of mass death. Light was dim, and they saw

trash all around--trash, and bodies. The owner of the house had simply

locked the doors and windows and left dozens of cats behind with no

food or water, to die. The only thing that kept the volunteers from

collapsing in despair were faint rustles, scratches, mews, coming from

just out of sight around the corner. There were still live cats in

this house of horrors.

 

Estimates range from 40 - 60 as the number of cats this lady had

abandoned; it was impossible to tell for sure. Over the next few days,

volunteers from Animal Aid and the Humane Society trapped and removed

all of the live animals they could find. There were 18, in a wide

range of ages, and of these, two later died.

 

All of them were starving, dehydrated, and totally unsociable. They

had survived the only way they could, by preying on the small, the

weak, the sick, and the dead. Rescued kittens lived in fear of adult

cats; adult cats lived in fear of each other--and of human contact.

 

Phoenix and Zorro went to an Animal Aid volunteer for fostering; they

have since been adopted. The other 14 went out to the Humane Society

of SW MI, where all but three have also been adopted--most locally,

but two are now thriving under the care of a lady in Kansas City, MO!

Phoenix and Zorro still mistrust humans, and to quote one of the

rescuers about the three who will probably live out their days at the

Humane Society, " They need to go to a home that doesn't expect

anything from them but just to live there. "

 

Meanwhile, a warrant was issued for the arrest of the house's owner,

and the entire area was outraged to learn that this was her THIRD

offense! The THIRD time she had " collected " a house full of cats, and

then abandoned them, the SECOND time in this very same house!

 

How could this happen? It's not as unusual as you might believe--or

hope. Such people are called " collectors; " they take in orphaned dogs

or cats, watch the " free to good home " ads, either don't believe in

spaying and neutering or run out of funds for the vet bills. These

collectors actually think they are " rescuing " the animals! More and

more free pets come to them--they're very convincing; and they truly

do love pets--and the ones they have keep reproducing, until the

collectors are overwhelmed. In the best circumstances, animal rescue

organizations are called. In the worst--the collector simply walks

away.

 

This particular collector was located in another state, and brought

back for trial. She will serve jail time, pay a fine, do community

service, but there is no guarantee that when her sentence is served,

she won't simply move to another house in another community in another

state, and start answering " Free to good home " ads again.

 

As for the police, the neighbors, and especially the volunteers

involved in the rescue of the Galien kitties--more than a year later,

they're still having nightmares.

 

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

 

Some folks answering the " Free to Good Home " ads really are loving,

responsible pet owners. Many--perhaps even most--are not. There are

steps YOU can take to help end abuse:

 

- DON'T advertise Free pets; DO convince others not to. Some people

even take the time to phone owners of pets advertising Free to Good

Home and warn them of the dangers.

 

- DO spay/neuter to keep from creating possible Free to Good Home

situations or condemning your pet to a short, miserable life in a

puppy mill.

 

- DO write letters to the editors of your local newspapers warning of

the dangers of Free to Good Home. (Sample letter attached.)

 

- DO contact breed rescue organizations (there is one for every breed

of pure-bred dog!) or local animal welfare organizations for help in

placing unwanted pets; if you bought the pet from a responsible

breeder, he/she will help you rehome the pet.

 

- DO charge at least $25 to discourage resale of pets to labs. (Some

sources suggest charging no less than $100 for pure-bred dogs.)

 

- DO take the time to interview every prospective owner. Ask for vet

and personnel references, and check them, then visit the new home

where your pet might be living!

 

- DO write a letter to your congressmen in support of legislation

aimed at doing away with Class B dealers, who sell animals obtained

from " random sources " to research facilities. Random sources include

strays, stolen pets, seized shelter animals, animals purchased at flea

markets--and pets found through " Free to good home " ads.

 

- DO report any incidence of suspected dog-fighting to police, Animal

Control, and your local Humane Society. DON'T try to stop these people

yourselves; there is a lot of money involved here, and you could be

putting yourself and your pets at risk if you try to intervene alone.

 

- DO call police, animal welfare workers, even the health department,

if someone in your area seems to be " collecting " cats or dogs.

 

- DO write to district attorneys, judges, and prosecutors if you hear

of the arrest of any so-called collectors in your area, and urge them

not only to prosecute to the full extent of the law, but also to

mandate psychological counseling for these individuals in the hopes of

avoiding repeat violations.

 

- DO call police or animal welfare workers for any incidences of

suspected abuse. Be willing to testify in court, if necessary. Note:

what constitutes animal abuse is defined by state law. If your state

has inadequate abuse laws, TRY TO CHANGE THEM!

 

-Remember--the welfare of pets is in ALL of our hands!

 

Courtesy Animal Aid of Southwest Michigan,

http://www.parrett.net/animalaid/