If you or your family have longed for a pet, you may be thinking seriously about getting a pet dog. The problem is, buying a dog can be a costly venture, and in these financially troubling times, it may be difficult to justify spending that much money on something that is not really a necessity. Fortunately, this realisation does not have to mean the end of your dog owning dreams. There are plenty of places that you can turn that offer puppies for free, but there are also some considerations that have to be taken into account if you are going to go the route of getting a free puppy.

Firstly, let's look at some of the benefits of getting a puppy for free. For starters, regardless of whether you pay for your dog or get it for free, a dog will make a wonderful companion for both you and your family. It will be the start of a long and loving friendship that will fill your life with memories, laughter and occasionally sadness. Within no time a puppy will become an integral part of your family, and you will wonder how you ever lived without it. Additionally, getting puppies for free is obviously beneficial to you financially. There are still other expenses to consider, which we will discuss soon, but the initial purchase can be harmful to the hip pocket. Another thing to keep in mind is that when you adopt and unloved or unwanted puppy, you may very well be saving that animals life. This is fantastic for your karma and your sense of well being.

Why Give Away Puppies For Free?

When you look into the eyes of these gorgeous little creatures, you will no doubt ask yourself "How could anyone ever consider giving away puppies for free?". Well, the answer to that question may be one of a few things. Sometimes, a dogs owner has not desexed their canine, and it will end up mating with another dog in the neighbourhood, and unless you've never been told about the story of the birds and the bees, you will realise what the end result is. Lots of puppies that the owner has no idea what to do with. Another reason that someone may decide to give away their puppy is if it was an unwanted gift. Quite often, a family member or friend will give a puppy as a gift without ever consulting the recipient of the gift. For whatever reason, be it work commitments or size constraints, this person is then unable to look after the animal that has been given to them, and they have no choice but to give it away. Unfortunately, some people abandon their unwanted litters as well, and they are picked up by council dog pounds or by animal shelters who then have to find homes for them.

There's No Such Thing As A Free Puppy

So now that you understand the reason behind these puppies being given away, here are a few things you need to consider before snatching up one of these free puppies. Firstly, a puppy should be considered a lifetime commitment. If you are going to get a dog, you need to make sure that you are in a position to look after that animal for the rest of it's life. This means you have to be settled in your own life, and sure of your own responsibilities. You also need to think about the extra expense this pet is going to accrue. Sure, you may have got the puppy for free, but you need to think about the costs that are associated with it. For example, the dog is going to have to be fed every day, it is going to need regular vet checkups, and you are going to have to purchase dog collars, leads, a kennel, toys and health related things such as worming, flea and tick medicine. Additional to the financial costs, you are also going to have to spend a lot of time with your new family member. A dog that is left alone all the time is a very sad dog indeed. These animals long for human companionship, and they will need ongoing training as well.

Enough Talk! Where's My Free Puppy?

So if you are sure that you can afford both the time and the money needed to look after a pet, where can you find puppies for free? Well, there are a few options. Probably the easiest way is to keep an eye on your local newspaper. This is the first place that people will advertise if they have been surprised with an unwanted litter of puppies. Some local newspapers even have a special "free pets" section. You could also look on the noticeboard at your local library or council chambers. If neither of these options are working for you, the Internet is also a great place to consider. Online directories like craigslist will quite often have listings for puppies for free, and there are also quite a few websites out there that will offer puppies for free. Below is a list of some of those sites to get you started, but with a little bit of research I'm sure you'll find many others as well.

So remember, if you are wanting to get your puppy for free, you may very well be saving a life in doing so. You just need to be sure that you are capable of looking after your pet for the rest of it's life. If you do the right planning beforehand and go into it with an informed mind, you will end up with a wonderful companion for life.