# Cats being given away on freecycle?



## melysion (Mar 12, 2007)

I am a member of my local freecycle group. I've gotten, and given away, lots of stuff (I was given a bread bin and a food processor only last week).

Anyway. I've not been online an awful lot this week due to family events, but when I check to see whats going on with the group this evening I cant help but notice a huge row that has erupted about whether people should advertise pets on freecycle. By its very nature, anything advertised on freecycle has to be free so that would include pets.

One of the most vocal posters is apparently a volunteer at an animal shelter so - as one can imagine - she was very much against the idea. But other people argued that it was no different from advertising animals as 'free to a good home' on GumTree (Craigslist).

As someone who got her cat from a 'free to a good home' ad on GumTree I kinda see their point. I also know just how impossibly strict some animal shelters can be (NOTE: I said some, not all) and how many potentially good owners are unnecessarily turned away (I know because I have to create the ads for these shelters) but somehow this really doesnt sit well with me. But I'm not sure why.

What do people think? How many people here have gotten their cats from a 'free to a good home' ad rather than an animal shelter? Do you think such ads should exist at all?


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## cjh27 (Feb 23, 2009)

Hi,

that's a very complex question. Personally I wouldn't give away a kitten- I'd get a kitten fully vaccinated, de-wormed and neutered before it goes to a new home. As this costs quite a bit I think it's only natural for the new owner to contribute towards all of or part of the vet's bill. 

A responsible owner would have to pay these bills anyway, so if someone wouldn't take a kitten if he or she has to pay the vet bill then it stands to reason that this person might not get the kitten neutered/vaccinated, in which case I wouldn't like to re-home a kitten to them.

Christine


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

I'm kind of torn with it as well. There's a piece of me that says if someone is looking for a cat on Freecycle, can they really afford to take care of that cat properly? On the other hand, you participate in Freecycle and obviously take care of Toby and yourself very well (it's probably because you take care of Toby so well that you're on Freecycle for other stuff :lol. 

Then there's another piece of me that says Freecycle or Craigslist is actually riskier than a shelter because you never know what problems you're going to inherit. 

So basically, I guess it doesn't matter as long as the person doing the adopting understands the additional risks and the person giving up the cat gets a good sense of the person's ability to care for the cat. Unfortunately, I don't think that always happens...


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

I have NEVER been able to choose a cat. They all have chosen me, and came to me with one dire, life-threatening problem or another...so they've usually all cost me a good bit to bring them to health. Then I still have to pay for vaccinations and spay/neuter.

IMO, I don't care where/how a cat gets out of a bad situation and into a better home. I also understand the shelter's perspective..._I know it costs_; and I know that most of their adoption fees are much, much lower than what it would cost an owner to have vaccinations and s/n paid for by themselves. But if no one takes in the 'free' cats, those cats will usually wind up: at the shelter (_unless it is too full to accept pets, which is usually the case_), at a kill-pound or dumped/abandoned. So, unless the shelter can take EVERY cat, then cats being re-homed through free sites is a better alternative than being sent to a kill-pound or abandoned.
Just my opinion.


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## gunterkat (Aug 19, 2006)

I adopted Arianwen from a Craigslist ad. A paltry $50 adoption fee included spay, first year's vaccs, a bunch of good quality food, and six vials of Advantage. 
That is why I'm torn on the "free to good home" issue.
rcat


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## Leazie (Apr 14, 2007)

I don't think it is any different than finding a cat "free to a good home" in the newspaper IMO. 

Btw, our shelter believes that you are more likely to find a home for an animal if you charge a nominal fee (like $10) rather than give it away for free. They think it is a psychological thing that if you pay something it is better. Maybe that is why the idea of a Freecycle give away kind of makes the hair on the back of our necks stand up?


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## librarychick (May 25, 2008)

My issue with free animals on sites like craigslist and of freecycle (which I'm on for my area as well ) is more a local problem, but might not be.

In my area there have been a number of animal thefts. Usually small dogs, or indoor/outdoor friendly cats. Mostly young, under 6 months, or older like 6-7 years. On craigslist and on kijiji (which I use more) if you advertise for cheaper pets you get some very shady responses.
When i had the litter last year I advertised the kittens at $80 and the mum at $40. I had some people contact me about the mum, to see if I would give her for free to a 'good' home. I asked them specific questions like, 'Do you have a vet'', 'Do you rent or own?', 'Do you have any kids?', 'What would you feed her?', ect. They sounded nice enough. A nice young couple, just bought their first home, looking for a pet to love. When they came I had a bad feeling about them, and asked if they could come back when the kittens were older and once she'd been spayed. They said they didn't want her spayed. I said it was part of the adoption agreement, and they 'decided' not to take her.

In the past in this area there have been people who collect animals for animal testing. These testing facilities don't really care where the animal comes from. I believe that's what these people were doing.
There are also collectors who try to get young animals, or unspayed/neutered ones, for puppy/kitten mills.

So personally I'm against any animals being offered for free, just because you never know if they're really planning on keeping the animal or not.


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## lilyb (Dec 21, 2008)

I got Honey from a "free to a good home" ad on Gumtree too. The girl I got her from had adopted her from the rescue shelter where she was a volunteer but her own cats had bullied Honey so she felt it was only fair to give her away. She did come to my flat for a home check though as apparently there have been some nasty incidents with free cats being taken for the wrong reasons (won't go into details) in the Edinburgh/Glasgow area recently. 

So as with everyone else - I'm torn! I would still have got Honey if I'd had to pay for her - I was just looking to see what kitties were around needing a home at the time. I've heard alot of people saying that they charge a fee to make sure that the person who takes the kitty is serious about the commitment. 

On a separate note....I'm off to investigate freecycle now....


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