Clyde

A local Forks resident was giving away a litter of pit bull/boxer puppies, without screening the new owners; she admitted knowing that the people taking the dogs would not properly care for them, but was not willing to do anything differently. Olympic Animal Sanctuary was able to obtain only one puppy.

Clyde was only six weeks old at the time of his rescue -- too young to be away from his mother, but there was no other option. He was reasonably healthy, with the exception of a tapeworm infestation so severe that the worms were actually crawling out of his anus and up onto his back. He was treated for the worms, and is now doing well.

Clyde's litter mates are a perfect example of the problem with "free to a good home;" it may not seem like marketing, but it is, and it markets to people's impulses. People take home puppies and kittens without thinking it through, where an adoption fee might have deterred them long enough for their better judgment to kick in. The other problem with "free to a good home" is that the term "good home" tends to be highly subjective, and in most cases the quality of the animal's destination is never verified. Some owners are not financially or psychologically capable of caring for a pet; some are not allowed by their landlords to have pets; some are simply looking for animals to abuse. Dog fighters routinely use "free to a good home" animals as 'blood bait', or in the case of pit bull puppies, they may be trained to fight. While the person giving away the puppies or kittens may have the best of intentions, the reality of the situation is that few people are equipped to find good homes for an entire litter, and the animals' fate is left to chance. The best option for placing puppies or kittens into good homes is to turn them over to an animal rescue organization or a humane society; these organizations can screen potential adopters, require that the animals are spayed or neutered before adoption, and follow up on the animals to ensure they are being cared for properly.

Thinking about letting your dogs or cats have a litter? Please don't do it! It is our stance that as long as we are euthanizing millions of unwanted pets every year in the United States alone, the worst thing people can do is keep breeding more of them. Even if you can find wonderful homes for all of your puppies or kittens, think of the shelter animals that could have been adopted instead. For every puppy or kitten you sell or give away, there's one in a shelter somewhere that didn't get adopted, and was killed by lethal injection. It is true that puppies and kittens are a joy, but that joy comes with too high a price. We urge all of you to spay and neuter your pets; you'll help combat pet overpopulation, and your pets will also live longer, healthier lives.