Puppies are the best companions who bring hordes of love and excitement into your life. If you have always wanted a pet but don’t want to approach a breeder and pay hundreds of dollars, consider free adoptions. Yes, it is possible, and yes, you will have to dedicate some time to the matter. While it might be a harder quest to complete, there are several potential ways of adopting a puppy for free.

8 ways in which you can adopt a puppy for free

Adopting local strays

Crossing paths with stray dogs and puppies is a regular occurrence when out and about. While some puppies are put up for adoption for free by good samaritans, there are lots of puppies left to fend for themselves. You can choose to be the loving and doting parent to one such wandering puppy in your neighborhood. Instead of looking far and wide, you can start with your own locality!

Check the news

Another way to find a free puppy for adoption near you is by looking at the local newspaper. Check newspaper classifieds and find out who is willing to find their pets a new home or whose dogs have given birth to a litter they want to rehome. Of course, since you are on the hunt for free puppies for adoption, your focus would be on classifieds that specify the same. You can even choose to meet the person who put up the ad to adopt a puppy for free. It is advisable to make sure the adoption is safe, and there is no shady business going on.

Animal shelters

Pet shelters open their doors to dozens of pets on the regular. Healthy, unhealthy, quiet, loud, mischievous, they take them all. Sadly, these dogs can only stay at the shelter for a certain period. After that, since the shelters are overcrowded, these animals are euthanized provided there was no willing volunteer for the adoption of the puppies. As the shelters operate above their capacity, they might agree to let you adopt a puppy for free. But, be informed that your potential pet has a significant chance of health issues. Or behavioral issues, for that matter. In which case, you will have to shell out a more significant sum of money for their treatment and care. If you cannot afford to do so, it is better to discuss it with the shelter authorities and find a pet for which you can be responsible.

Ask your contacts

Your circle of family and friends can be a great help in your quest to find free puppies for adoption. Someone in your contacts may have a pet expecting a litter, and in most cases, they are likely not to want to keep all the puppies. You can ask them to let you adopt a puppy for free. If not, you can ask your contacts to check up with their friends and family. Let the word of mouth get around that you are looking to adopt. If someone agrees, you can go get your new furry friend from their doorstep and have a loving companion to spoil.

Or a vet

Another reliable lead for puppy adoption is your local veterinarian. They deal with numerous pets and pet parents and might be able to connect you with someone who knows of puppies that need to be adopted. Start with a visit, and ask them if they know anyone looking for a willing adopter. You can even tell them about yourself a little, to assure them that you are genuinely interested. If they have any leads, your local vets could set up a meeting between you and the pet’s former parent. Additionally, you can even volunteer to foster some puppies for free and revisit the adoption option later.

Social media groups

In this digital age and time, social media is all the rage. Log in to your social accounts and check for pet-enthusiast groups. You might end up finding people who are looking for potential adopters. You can even start your search by typing in “free puppies for adoption near me.” But, like with the newspaper ads, be careful when you are meeting with the people that are on the other side of your computer screen.

Go digital

Hashtags are the most vital part of the visibility game right now. Use them to your advantage. Post stories about your willingness to adopt a puppy and ensure that you are letting your community know about your search for free puppies. Alternatively, spend some time researching and checking out relevant hashtags. It might bring out some leads for you to follow. Who knows, the trending hashtags might even be the reason you find your furry best friend. You can also keep an eye out on pet food websites; they often post details about adoption events being organized, or about adoption clinics that you could look into.

Fly old school style

If searching for puppies for adoption online does not help you, take the old-school route. Print ads in your local newspaper and put up some flyers in your locality. Putting up these fliers around in stores, pet shelters, pet food stores, or bulletin boards in the vet’s clinic is a good idea. It is a long shot to find free puppies for adoption, but it might just work for you!