Adopting Puppies for Free

Adopting a puppy is exciting.

When you see an ad for "Free to a good home," your heart melts. Adopting a puppy is major responsibility and a life-changing decision for you and the puppy. Researching which breed will be a fit for your family prior to the adoption will help ensure a successful adoption.

Things You'll Need

• Online access
• Local newspaper
• Telephone
• Vehicle

Instructions

1. 

   Give a puppy a good home.

   Contact your local shelter. Shelters frequently take in puppies and may be willing to adopt one to you free of charge. Craigslist and Freecycle are two very popular sites for free puppies. You can also find free puppies in the local newspaper's classified section, or you might hear of someone giving away free puppies from one of your friends.

2. 

   Find out what the puppy's parents are like.

   Contact the person who has the puppy. Ask questions about the puppy's parents' temperaments and sizes, if known. Ask if the puppy has any health issues, how much it weighs and its age. Be sure to ask if the puppy has been dewormed or had any vaccinations yet. You will need to know what the puppy is eating. Be prepared to answer questions about your family, your home and yard, behavior and potty training methods, and what activities you plan to include your puppy in.

3. 

   Let your relationship grow slowly.

   When you meet your puppy for the first time, let it sniff the back of your hand first before petting it and picking it up to avoid overwhelming the animal. There may be a contract or other paperwork you'll need to read and sign. Be sure to get the medical records of veterinary care up to that point for your new puppy and a copy of the contract signed by you and the previous owner.

References

• Craigslist: Community: Pet
• The Freecycle Network

Resources

• Dog Training Leads: Looking for the Perfect Free Puppy