Logic behind pet adoption fees

M

Muskrat

Senior Member
Location
Mainly arizona
So…I have been reading a lot of adoption posts in my area lately…and am astounded by the high adoption fees. So people state they are charging the fees to insure the pet goes to a good home. So…money makes a person love a pet?
 

I would be skeptical of advertisements from individuals asking for adoption fees, it smells like a scam to me.

In this area the adoption fees charged by local nonprofits are adjusted as the population of shelters increase and decrease during the year.

IMO it’s good that the fees are high enough to make people think about the responsibility and ongoing cost of adopting an animal that may live for a decade or more.
 

We paid $100.00 dollar fee for our cat from the local humane society and it included spay and shots. She was such a lovely cat and we loved her until the end of her days. The fee was in my opinion well worth the payment. This was back in 2008.
 
There's a lot of time and cost involved when fostering animals, and that doesn't matter if the animal is from a shelter or a person's home. Why shouldn't there be an adoption fee?

Another reason I've read about is free animals at times get used for fight dog training and such, so a fee discourages that.

What I think is more rediculas than adoption fees is cross breeding animals and selling designer mutts for many hundreds of dollars.
 
The adoption fees at a well-known UK adoption centre are £200 for a dog over 6 months and £275 for a puppy under 6 months. A friend of ours is currently on the list to adopt two compatible dogs and the adoption fee will be £320 in total. Considering the cost of pre-adoption care - feeding, housing, staffing, vet's checks etc - I think those charges are reasonable.

Obviously fees do not make a person love a pet more but, how would a rescue centre pay for the costs of caring and preparing animals for adoption?
 
Muskrat said:
So…I have been reading a lot of adoption posts in my area lately…and am astounded by the high adoption fees. So people state they are charging the fees to insure the pet goes to a good home. So…money makes a person love a pet?
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Neutering, shots, home inspection, follow up visit, if rescue does shots license and record keeping. Izzi is a foundling. Her initiative medical and then neutering were almost 3k.
 
In 2008 I paid a rescue group 250 for a 6 year old puppy mill dog that was severely traumatized. She was worth every penny and I turned her into a great dog but it took years. I had her 10 years. These groups are run by volunteers and have expenses.
 
I paid $100 for each of my dogs from two different animal shelters 12 years apart. I don’t mind paying the money because the vets that do the work to care for these animals never break even and neither does Shelter. they have to have some sort of money coming in to support the care they give the dogs and the cats.

Don’t adopt a horse or you’ll be paying at least three or $400 and that’s cheap considering the Care some of these rescue horses have to have.
 
I do not mind the money…it is the statement that they are simoly charging the money to ensure the animal goes to a good home. My daisy cost about 250$ 17 years ago…but the rescue made no attempt to whitewash the fee…it simply was. That set better with me.
 
Muskrat said:
I do not mind the money…it is the statement that they are simoly charging the money to ensure the animal goes to a good home. My daisy cost about 250$ 17 years ago…but the rescue made no attempt to whitewash the fee…it simply was. That set better with me.
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The legitimate shelters don’t say that in my area. All of them say they need the adoption fee to help HELP cover costs.

I have only ever heard ”—wanting the animal to go to a good home“ for a high price from private sellers🤠
 
I’ve read why adoption fees are expensive.

For one most animal rescue places don’t put pets up for adoption unless they are desexed as it’s called in Australia.

All pets are microchipped

Al, pets are given extensive training and if they become aggressive during training they are assessed if they will be suitable for adoption .

They are given all required injections .

Tattoos in ears

flea/ tick/ heart worm / parvo virus treatments

when you had that all up it’s quite a bit if expense

and most of all .they don’t want someone coming along to adopt a pet for say $20 ( like it used to be ) and when you could buy pets from pet shops …for next to nothing …only for many pets to not be given shots / let breed many unwanted kittens / pups …. …so much that’s been stopped by banning pets shops from selling pups and kittens and making people more responsible ( if that’s possible) when adopting pets ….by paying more they are less likely to dump the pet as soon as it reaches an adult and no l longer a playful pup .

There was a story in our Sunday mail recently where a family had a dog for 5 years and took him to a dogs home
to quote their reason for surrendering him “ he’s got old…. and was no longer any fun “ like he was when younger :cry::cry::cry::cry::cry: how cruel …


Of cause …..I’m only saying what happens in the state I live in.

A friend paid over $4.000 for Baci as an adult dog, I believe he was rescued / sold by a cavadoodle speciality group
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Muskrat said:
I do not mind the money…it is the statement that they are simoly charging the money to ensure the animal goes to a good home. My daisy cost about 250$ 17 years ago…but the rescue made no attempt to whitewash the fee…it simply was. That set better with me.
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I agree @Muskrat it makes more sense that the fee is to cover the cost of care and preparation for rehoming.

There is likely an element of thinking that someone who pays, say, £200+, for a pet will have put some thought into it but, I am not sure that is the case. I know a dogwalker who used to walk two expensive French bulldog pups which were both handed to a rescue for rehoming because the owner decided she didn't like them. :(
 

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