Don't post free dog/cat ads!

I see this all too often when I check in the Pets section of Craigslist: 'Free dog/cat to good home'. While I'm sure these people really want to find their pet a good home, there is a danger to posting free pet ads that many don't know about.

Some people look for "free" animals for these reasons:

• Food for their pet snake
• Bait for training dogs in fighting rings
• Breeding stock in puppy/kitten mills (for dogs or cats that aren't spayed/neutered)
• To hoard and neglect
• To use for research purposes
• To perform cruel acts upon the animal

To prevent any of this from happening to your pet, ask for an adoption fee and also request a vet reference to ensure that your pet will be properly cared for.