Instructions
Visit Petfinder.org and use their drop-down list to find the right dog for you. At Petfinder.org, you will find a variety of dogs all over the country just waiting for loving homes. This simple, user-friendly database will help you find an adoptable dog. Simply type in the size, age and gender of the kind of dog you seek, put in your ZIP code and the database will do the rest. It will give you a list of dogs in a specified radius of your town along with a photo and information on how to visit the dog. Some of the rescues on Petfinder may charge a fee, others may ask for a voluntary donation. There may be some, however, who are so intent on placing a dog in a home that they will relinquish the dog for free. You just need to do a little research.
Call your local humane society, rescue organization or county animal facility to see what their policy is concerning dogs considered "unadoptable." Some dogs, because of their age, size, health condition or temperament, are considered a tough adoption and these dogs are usually the first to be euthanized for space in the kennel. Many times the shelters will waive the adoption fee on these dogs simply because they would rather give them away than euthanize them. You may have to be put on a waiting list, but if you are willing to wait, your patience may pay off in the form of a loving dog for your family.
Leave your contact information at all the businesses in town that deal with companion animals. This includes all the vets, groomers, trainers, pet-supply stores and doggy-day care facilities. The people at these businesses are usually the first to hear about a dog in need of a home. Many owners, clients of these businesses, who can no longer keep their animal will do just about anything to keep him from entering a shelter. So they will tell their groomers, vets, trainers and anyone else in the "dog world" they are looking for a good home. In most cases, the owners will waive a fee in order to see their dog go to a good home.
How to Get Free Dogs for Adoption
There's no reason to spend a lot of money on a four-footed friend to add to your family. With an estimated 5 to 7 million animals entering shelters every year, you're bound to find the right dog waiting for you at any number of places.