This post, while written out of frustration, is intended to educate. We need to stop giving animals away free to a good home….from both sides….because in this case, the family thought they had no options but to dump this dog in a crate overnight on our property.
I shared this story earlier this week about free to good home gone wrong in an effort to educate people to stop giving their animals away free to a good home.
Sadly, we had a free to good home puppy dumped overnight at our shelter. I want to share Codi’s story and share how many ways Codi has been failed in his young life based on a handwritten note we received on top of his crate where he was dumped overnight. For those way say “at least he was dumped at the right place” NO, JUST NO!!! He should have never been in a position to be dumped in a crate overnight at all. Please stop making excuses for irresponsible behavior.
Per the note, Codi was purchased by an elderly individual living in an apartment in northern Illinois. Probably to no one’s surprise, an Australian shepherd puppy is not necessarily an appropriate fit for an apartment and certainly not for someone who is not prepared to give an Australian shepherd puppy appropriate exercise. Because Codi was too much puppy for an elderly individual living in an apartment, they posted him for free on Craigslist….and was given away just this week. Per the note, Codi went to his new home on TUESDAY…yes, just 3 days prior to his unannounced arrival to TAPS. Because Codi was frightened and pottying on the floor, Codi was dumped in a crate overnight at TAPS with a note that he just wasn’t settling in.
In 3 days, Codi had been given away to a new home that didn’t even give him 3 days to settle before dumping him in a crate overnight on our property. What if he broke out of the crate??? We are right off of a busy road readily traveled by semi trucks and heavy traffic. I’m sure he was terrified, he was given to a family that didn’t even understand it would take him more than 3 days to settle. The note said they dumped him in the crate overnight because he was scared of cars and it was “less traumatic” on him this way. Really, being left in a crate outside of a building in the early morning hours is less traumatic on the dog???
If you cannot keep your dog, contact your local animal control or no-kill shelters and submit surrender forms to foster based rescues if you can’t bear to see them in a shelter. In this case, I’m sure an Australian shepherd rescue would have happily taken in a young purebred puppy.
Some of the worst cases of neglect and abuse I’ve seen is to free to good home animals. People are deceptive and aren’t honest with their intentions. My eyes can’t unsee what has happened to free to good home animals during my time in rescue. Please don’t give your animals away free to a good home. We will get Codi up to date on vaccines, neuter him, and screen applications for an appropriate home. Stay tuned in the coming days for more information about Codi. He’s already coming out of his shell for hotdog treats.
