If you’re searching for free puppies in Michigan, this guide will provide you with everything you need to know. Pet lovers in Michigan often search for free puppies, but how should you find them? Keep reading the article below to find out.
Adopting and taking care of a puppy is an expensive process. If you’d like to save some money on the adoption process to invest more in taking care of your newly adopted puppy, there are ways you can do that. Free puppies are available all over Michigan in classified ads or online directories.
Their authenticity, however, is debatable at times. Therefore, the best options to get free puppies from are shelters, namely, Michigan Humane Society and Friends For Animals of Metro Detroit, that rehabilitate and rehome puppies. Below we’ve listed the best places to adopt a free puppy from.
Before you scroll further down this guide, “Where Can You Get Free Puppies in Michigan,” you can check out these other dog-related recommendations from our team: Best Dog Parks in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and Best Small Dog Rescues in Michigan For Adoption.
How Can You Spot a Genuine Puppy Shelter in Michigan?
Right off the bet, we should establish that there is no precise method to determine whether a shelter is genuine. It is an arbitrary judgment; what might seem like a legitimate shelter to you may not look that way to another person. Therefore, it is always best to follow your intuition during adoption.
Background Check
If the rescue or shelter you are adopting from only has purebred dogs and no elderlies, you might want to be cautious in running checks and balances. This is because puppies, especially purebred ones, are often the ones least abandoned and at the risk of winding up in a shelter since they are taken care of for the commercial profits of the breeder.
Therefore, it is a possibility that the organization or individual posing as a shelter or rescuer may be breeding the dogs in puppy mills and giving them away if something goes wrong during breeding. A legitimate shelter usually always has dogs of varying ages, breeds, history, etc., because they take in all sorts of cases and try to accommodate them.
You can also get some information about the health condition and background of the dog you wish to adopt from real animal shelters. Those that adhere to best practices will only give out animals who have had all necessary vaccines, have visited a veterinarian, and have been sterilized before being placed in a new home.
Adopters should have faith in knowing their new family member is safe from sickness and in good health. Although not all adopting organizations can offer each of these facilities, it’s a smart practice to determine whether the organization you’re dealing with can. You are free to inquire as to why if not.
Responsiveness
A crucial thing to watch out for is how welcoming the group or person from whom you are adopting the dog is towards your inquiries. You are okay to ask everything as long as it relates to your shelter dog, such as where the dog is presently accommodated, when you can visit the dog before adopting, what vaccinations it has received thus far, whether the shelter is knowledgeable of any behavioral issues with the dog, why it was surrendered, what veterinary care it will require going forward, etc.
Transparency
A decent shelter will always make every effort to ensure transparency. It’s essential to interact with the adopting organization. You would like to feel positive that you were adopted from a supportive organization in case issues emerge after your adoption. Besides asking about your pet, you may determine whether an organization is correct for you by asking about it or its policies.
Interviewing
Another factor that gives away if the adopting organization is legitimate is if you are getting inquiries from them. Employees or volunteers from shelters or animal rescue organizations will likely want to know you since their priority is to place animals in homes that will last their lifetime and not just any available home.
For example, you might receive questions like why would you like a pet, who else lives in your household and do they all want a new animal companion, are dogs accepted on the property if you rent, what age or breed of animal are you seeking, what role do you envision a pet playing in your life, do you have other animals in your house, etc. A good shelter must assist an adoption by finding the ideal pets for prospective adopters and making the adoption experience meaningful for you and the dog.
Places to Find Free Puppies in Michigan
You can find free puppies in Michigan in many ways, but not all places are genuine. You can never be too sure of newspaper classifieds or online advertisements by individual puppy owners; hence, the best option is to go with legitimate shelters or rescues. Here are a couple of options in Michigan that you should check out to meet the puppy of your dreams.
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1. Michigan Humane Society
The Michigan Humane Society was founded to enrich and save lives through selfless treatment, involvement from the community, and consistent advocacy. The state’s earliest and biggest nonprofit organization dedicated to animal care, the Michigan Humane Society, was established in 1877.
Michigan Humane successfully places its over 8,000 fits and treated animals in new homes every year. If you are interested in adopting a free puppy from Michigan Humane, you should keep in mind the standard procedure. Adopters must be adults willing and able to take responsibility for a new life.
Michigan Humane is reachable at 866-MHUMANE for information about any dogs listed as available on the website. Do note that almost all animal welfare organizations are largely run by volunteers and are usually understaffed. Therefore, it might be best to visit in person.
The organization has three adoption facilities to match animals with new, devoted homes. The first location is Mackey Center for Animal Care at the Dresner Foundation Animal Care Campus, 7887 Chrysler Drive, Detroit, MI 48211. The second adoption facility is situated in Westland, Berman Center for Animal Care, 900 N. Newburgh Road, Westland, MI 48185.
Michigan Humane’s third adoption center is located at Sterling Heights Adoption Center inside Petco, 13701 Lakeside Circle, Sterling Heights, MI 48313. It would be best if you carried a few things when you visit to finalize the adoption. This includes a driver’s license or Michigan Identification card.
Whichever one you bring should mention your present home address. If there are other people or animals in your household, the organization prefers them to come along for a visit and meet the new furry companion to get along with it. In certain situations, the organization may bind the entire household to meet the new dog.
For instance, if you have small children, it is necessary to ensure that the dog gets along with them and vice versa before the adoption is finalized. This practice saves you time and your dog the trauma of going to a new home only to be abandoned again and repeat the process.
Michigan Humane also has placement counselors who meet with prospective adopters to determine whether the dog you invest in is a good match for your home and way of life. This is a fantastic opportunity to raise any concerns you might have.
After that, you can interact with the dog(s) that intrigue you. Once the adoption has been finalized and matched with a puppy you are also content with, it takes about an hour to complete the formalities. This includes a report of your new pet’s medical records, microchip and sterilization, and veterinary checkups required in the future.
Michigan Humane Society Details
- Website: Michigan Humane Society
2. Friends For Animals of Metro Detroit
Friends for Animals of Metro Detroit is another wonderful 501(c)(3) nonprofit option to check out if you are searching for free puppies in the Michigan area. The organization is committed to the rescue, rehabilitation, and placement of furry friends that need loving surroundings.
The company accomplishes its goal by rescuing all treatable animals, offering premium dog adoption and treatment services, providing community outreach and initiatives to advance education about animal welfare, advocating for animal rights legislation, and adopting eco-friendly procedures.
To search for adoptable free puppies, you can browse the website and filter your options based on breeds, gender, age, locations, etc. It is easy to find a dog’s location information by clicking on its adoption profile. If you are unsure whether the dog is still available and want to confirm before traveling to finalize the adoption, you can contact the organization at (313) 943-2697 ext. 6001.
Friends For Animals of Metro Detroit Details
- Website: Friends For Animals of Metro Detroit
- Phone Number: (313) 943-2697
Should I Pay The Adoption Fee in Michigan?
Although adoptable animals at shelters and rescues like Michigan Humane or Friends for Animals of Metro Detroit are listed free of cost, adopters are usually required to pay an adoption fee between $25 and $300. This might make you wonder if the shelter is a scam or trying to pocket money from you.
The answer is that they are not. Since shelters are run on donations and often lack the funds to pay for basic amenities for animals, the adoption fee is a way for them to get some of the funds for the adoption of the most sought-after dogs.
The adoption fee calculates the shelter’s expenses during its time with the dog. This includes all veterinary care, food, litter, etc. You will notice that almost every shelter that charges an adoption fee will give you a dewormed, vaccinated, sterilized, and microchipped dog.
These are all procedures you would have to pay for if you took home a free dog that costs nothing up-front. Therefore, you are instead better off paying the adoption fee because it is convenient and frees you of any worry about your dog’s medical care.
Conclusion For “Free Puppies in Michigan”
With little effort and discretion, you can find genuine places anywhere to adopt free puppies, as we showed you in Michigan. We wish you the best with the adoption process and know that you will make an amazing puppy parent.
If you find this guide, “Where Can You Get Free Puppies in Michigan,” helpful, you can check out these other dog-related recommendations from our team:
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Before you find a free puppy in Michigan, you can learn more about raising your future companion by watching “Everything You Need to Know About Raising a Puppy” down below:
