Most people have good intentions when placeing their animals in 'free to good home' ads. They care what happens to the animal , and are not interested at all in making money.

The tragedy occurs when the animal is mistakenly put into a situation where it is neglected , abused , abandoned , or even sold for lab experimentation. Sadly this sort of thing happens everyday across the country.

Giving any pet away is misguided. People tend not to value what they don't pay for. If you charge a fee of $35 - $40 or more for an animal , the new owner is more likely to take their commitment to their new pet , responsibly. A FREE PET , IS A DISPOSABLE PET.

Paying a fee for a pet shows good faith , on the new owners part. The truth is , theres no such thing as a 'free' pet anyways. Vet bills , food costs and exc. All add up quickly , and you must make sure the new owner is ready for the extra cost.

Still not convinved? Then ask yourself these questions : If a person is not going to be able to pay a adoption fee for a pet , then how will they be able to afford , vet bills , or food and other costs that come with the responsibility of owning a pet.

If you are uncomfortable with asking an adoption fee , add a bag of food , and some starter supplies to the cost. The idea is not to make a profit , but to ensure the future of the animal being adopted.

What can happen to a pet that is given free , to a casual , uncommited owner? :

* Abandonment to the streets
* Handed over to animal control ; People who tire of their pets , usually take the easy way out by getting the animal euthanized.
*Abused : The owner will not take the time to properly train the animal. Often this leads to inappropriate responses from the owner , when the anima ' misbehaves.'

What can happen if a con-artisit , who answers 'free to good home ad's ' to use the animals for profit , gets ahold of your pet :

*Used to 'live' train fighting dogs : The animal you exspected to be a pet , is used to bait a fighting dog , and is litterly torn to pieces.
*Sold to a class - b dealer , who then re-sells the animal to a research lab ; People who practice the dispicable act of rounding up strays to sell them off are refered to as "bunchers".
*Used for breeding stock in a 'puppy mill.'
*used as live food , or bait for exotics such as snakes and crocs.
**Sacraficed in cult rituals : Some people find this hard to belive , but the FBI , has many files , documenting this kind of activity in our country.

Protect your pets ! PAWS offers an adoption form , as well as brochure. Make sure your pet is going to a home to be loved. When it comes to the future of something that special , you can never be to safe.