Shelter Pets Aren't Free

debodun

debodun

SF VIP
Location
way upstate in New York, USA
Many people think they can just go to an animal shelter and get pets for nothing. They only case I'm aware this happens is the "senior to senior" program at the County shelter where senior citizens can adopt senior animals at no charge. Below is a screen shot of the county shelter fees for adoption (which I think are extravagant). At privately run kennels it may be even more. There are frequent ads an TV for a "clear the shelters" blurb, but at those prices - good luck - when people right now are having serious financial trouble and are struggling for basic necessities.

They even charge surrender fees (when you bring an aninal in to leave there).

shelter.jpg
 

I can understand asking us to pay the vet bills, in some cases that could even include neutering bills, but why the "adoption" fee? As soon as you adopt they will be saving on food.

I think most people could find a free cat just by putting the word out. Someone told me that if you went to McDonald's drive thru late at night cats would try to get in your car along with the Big Mac.
 

debodun said:
Many people think they can just go to an animal shelter and get pets for nothing. They only case I'm aware this happens is the "senior to senior" program at the County shelter where senior citizens can adopt senior animals at no charge. Below is a screen shot of the county shelter fees for adoption (which I think are extravagant). At privately run kennels it may be even more. There are frequent ads an TV for a "clear the shelters" blurb, but at those prices - good luck - when people right now are having serious financial trouble and are struggling for basic necessities.

They even charge surrender fees (when you bring an aninal in to leave there).

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These fees aren't excessive. I've adopted a few animals from our local animal shelter and always paid fees that are roughly these amounts - more if the animal hadn't been spayed or neutered and the shelter took care of it.

You'd have to pay to get rabies vaccines and license fees anyway. Our shelters require dogs are spayed or neutered and chipped.

Free kittens are easy to find. Free dogs are hard to come by unless you want a very old dog, one that requires a lot of medical attention, or a dog whose breed and breed mixes are specifically excluded from most homeowner liability policies. (pit bulls, German shepherds, huskies, rottweilers, dobermans, and more).

In the Los Angeles area, the most sought after dogs (small to medium, young, healthy, no behavior problems and insurable on homeowner policies) are immediately scooped up by private "non-profit" rescue groups that charge mucho dinero for the dogs.

Having just adopted a dog yesterday, I know whereof I speak.
 
debodun said:
Many people think they can just go to an animal shelter and get pets for nothing.
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Those people should consider "something else" other than a live animal. Those fees look entirely reasonable. Too bad spay & neuter aren't included, vitally important to reduce the vicious cycle of pet abandonment & shelter.

debodun said:
They even charge surrender fees (when you bring an animal in to leave there).
Click to expand...

Justifiable, gotta cover some costs.
 
Yes, we paid to adopt our first two rats from local shelter. Still donate annually. I was disappointed that I asked for donations to the shelter when Rick died, and only one person donated. So I gave some of the cash donations made directly to me to thee shelter. When my last rat died, I had an unopened bag of food, so I brought it out there
 
I did a search for my current location and there is a dog that would be perfect for me if I was living a few years in the future (i.e., had a home instead of being a nomadic traveler). It is a 5 lb female chihuahua (mixed breed) that is 6 years old for a $199 adoption fee.
I'm not very fond of adoption fees but it depends on the situation, some of the rescues act pretty grouchy about people adopting and charge a ridiculous fee.
 
Della said:
I can understand asking us to pay the vet bills, in some cases that could even include neutering bills, but why the "adoption" fee? As soon as you adopt they will be saving on food.

I think most people could find a free cat just by putting the word out. Someone told me that if you went to McDonald's drive thru late at night cats would try to get in your car along with the Big Mac.
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because without those fees they don't get a lot of donations and it's hard to run a no kill shelter with no money to take care of the animals with.
 
Those fees are quite reasonable, less than the shelter's actual cost I am sure.

Free pets are sometimes available places like facebook, that's how we got our current dog. But the vet fees we paid to get her taken care of were in the same range as what the shelters charge.

If you want to have a pet you need to make sure it fits within your budget.
 
MarciKS said:
because without those fees they don't get a lot of donations and it's hard to run a no kill shelter with no money
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Shouldn't someone who starts a rescue have a plan for income? I suppose maybe a lot of rescues are started by people who don't know much about business.
I'd think they could add a boarding facility, or find other income streams. There is a California rescue that posts lots of good rescue videos on YouTube and advertise not just for donations but also for people who will do a recurring $5/month donation, I think they must get a lot of money (though they seem to have lots of connections to other rescue groups that help (I'm not sure if they share the money they bring in)).

 
I don't think those prices are extravagant. I paid more for my little girl doggie. Shelters have bills to pay, too, and also often spay or neuter the cats and dogs. At least where I went they did. I think of the price I paid an excellent investment--she's the sweetest little doggie in the whole world--even though everyone else thinks the same of theirs..lol
 
debodun said:
Not like the "old days" wher newspsper classified ads were full of free puppies and kittens, but then you don't know the mindset of a person taking them. If people are willing to pay, they are probably more responsible.
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Back then, some people were making a fortune "adopting" those free cats & dogs & selling them to animal testing labs for $200.00 each.
 
HoneyNut said:
Shouldn't someone who starts a rescue have a plan for income? I suppose maybe a lot of rescues are started by people who don't know much about business.
I'd think they could add a boarding facility, or find other income streams. There is a California rescue that posts lots of good rescue videos on YouTube and advertise not just for donations but also for people who will do a recurring $5/month donation, I think they must get a lot of money (though they seem to have lots of connections to other rescue groups that help (I'm not sure if they share the money they bring in)).

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when they started out here the humane societies took them in for free but with most people not wanting pets now and rentals not wanting to accept them and vet costs to take care of them on top of food and all, it's just gotten beyond what they can handle i think. i don't know how many people are willing to pay that kind of money to bring them in or take them out.
 
MarciKS said:
because without those fees they don't get a lot of donations and it's hard to run a no kill shelter with no money to take care of the animals with.
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I understand they would like to have money, don't we all, but if they make it too hard for people to adopt they'll just have an overload of dogs that they will have to feed and care for. I can see the vet bills, it's that extra they tack on just because they want it that bothers me. People are taking on a responsibility that will cost them an average of $700 t0 1100 a year (per Google) why force a "donation" right off the bat.
 
Della said:
I understand they would like to have money, don't we all, but if they make it too hard for people to adopt they'll just have an overload of dogs that they will have to feed and care for. I can see the vet bills, it's that extra they tack on just because they want it that bothers me. People are taking on a responsibility that will cost them an average of $700 t0 1100 a year (per Google) why force a "donation" right off the bat.
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Weeds out a lot of borderline folks. When it comes to a rescue, no fee is too much. Out of the huge bunch of rescue's we've had, I can count on one hand the ones we were able to adopt out to someone. I suppose I'm different, but, we take the medical needy that most folks want no part of.
 
When I got Li'l Bit the $64 included neutering, and all her shots. Even though the normal price was $114, I don't think there were many three martini lunches going on. This one is run by the city, as most of them in the area are, and they have permanent staff, and vets to pay, along with all the food and medical supplies. Even with the volunteers, and donations they get, they still run in the red.
 
Della said:
I understand they would like to have money, don't we all, but if they make it too hard for people to adopt they'll just have an overload of dogs that they will have to feed and care for. I can see the vet bills, it's that extra they tack on just because they want it that bothers me. People are taking on a responsibility that will cost them an average of $700 t0 1100 a year (per Google) why force a "donation" right off the bat.
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i know i understand. i don't feel it's helping the situation any.
 
You would never see those prices here in BC. My cat who I adopted a year ago, then a kitten cost me $400, she came spayed, microchipped and a tattoo. Good job because she always runs to the door, she is an indoor cat. Rescues need every dollar, I for one do not begrudge the cost. I do see online that sometimes rescues will have a half price adoption. It is a sad fact that the economy is making it difficult for some families to make ends meet and in turn our pets suffer because people cannot afford not only the cost to adopt but the $ to give it a good life. We also have a vet shortage in some parts of Canada, another consideration.
 
@RobinWren I’m glad you posted the prices for BC because I’m sure those are what I’ve read for around here.
 

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