There tends to be allot of misunderstandings and controversy about adoption fees. Hopefully, this will answer some questions and settle some of the arguments.
This is one of the most frequently asked questions....
Why do Rescues charge adoption fees? Rescue dogs should be free. Right?
First of all, Rescues do not get grant money. That is a total myth. Grant funds, when available, are reserved for municipal shelters. Rescues survive on adoption fees and the few donations they get and those have decreased substantially due to the current economic climate. Rescuers are always digging into their own pockets to take the next dog to the vet. The downturn in the economy has forced many Rescues to close their doors.
Second, each dog has a vet bill to be paid. The health of each dog is assessed on intake. Do they need a spay/neuter, vaccinations, micro chipping, or a dental cleaning, especially when the dog has a mouth full of rotten teeth and chronic abscesses. Does the dog have a medical condition that requires ongoing medication such as seizures? Most vets offer a 10% Rescue discount at best. There are those singular angels who bend over backwards to help a Rescue, but anymore, they are rare, very rare.
The adoption fees are set based on the type of the dog, age, condition, etc. Many times the adoption fee does not cover the vet bill, much less the food, grooming, etc. For those rare times when there is an excess, those funds go to cover the shortage for another dog.
So, please, don’t ask a Rescue to reduce the adoption fee.
Additionally, the adoption fee is important because it makes the individual think twice about getting an animal in the first place. And, if someone is not financially invested in that animal, they have no incentive to work at making the adoption a success. We have seen this statement proven time and time again. A classic example is of a little red male whose owner came to us for help. She had tried to re-home the dog on her own listing him on Craigslist. She did get a $25 re-homing fee, which was better than “Free to Good Home,” and she picked what she felt was a good home. Two weeks later she got a call from her local animal control who had picked her dog up. As it turned out, the adopters decided they didn’t want the dog and just turned him out on the street to fend for himself. She picked him up and the little guy had lost weight, hair and was flea ridden.
Besides, if you cannot afford an adoption fee, maybe you cannot afford a dog in general or it’s first serious vet bill. Taking on a new pet without the ability to properly care for it is very selfish and downright wrong.
I hope this has shed some light on why Rescues charge Adoption fees and why they will continue to do so.
Check out our Adoption Fees page for more information.
Your comments are welcomed and you entitled to your opinion, but keep it clean.
This is one of the most frequently asked questions....
Why do Rescues charge adoption fees? Rescue dogs should be free. Right?
First of all, Rescues do not get grant money. That is a total myth. Grant funds, when available, are reserved for municipal shelters. Rescues survive on adoption fees and the few donations they get and those have decreased substantially due to the current economic climate. Rescuers are always digging into their own pockets to take the next dog to the vet. The downturn in the economy has forced many Rescues to close their doors.
Second, each dog has a vet bill to be paid. The health of each dog is assessed on intake. Do they need a spay/neuter, vaccinations, micro chipping, or a dental cleaning, especially when the dog has a mouth full of rotten teeth and chronic abscesses. Does the dog have a medical condition that requires ongoing medication such as seizures? Most vets offer a 10% Rescue discount at best. There are those singular angels who bend over backwards to help a Rescue, but anymore, they are rare, very rare.
The adoption fees are set based on the type of the dog, age, condition, etc. Many times the adoption fee does not cover the vet bill, much less the food, grooming, etc. For those rare times when there is an excess, those funds go to cover the shortage for another dog.
So, please, don’t ask a Rescue to reduce the adoption fee.
Additionally, the adoption fee is important because it makes the individual think twice about getting an animal in the first place. And, if someone is not financially invested in that animal, they have no incentive to work at making the adoption a success. We have seen this statement proven time and time again. A classic example is of a little red male whose owner came to us for help. She had tried to re-home the dog on her own listing him on Craigslist. She did get a $25 re-homing fee, which was better than “Free to Good Home,” and she picked what she felt was a good home. Two weeks later she got a call from her local animal control who had picked her dog up. As it turned out, the adopters decided they didn’t want the dog and just turned him out on the street to fend for himself. She picked him up and the little guy had lost weight, hair and was flea ridden.
Besides, if you cannot afford an adoption fee, maybe you cannot afford a dog in general or it’s first serious vet bill. Taking on a new pet without the ability to properly care for it is very selfish and downright wrong.
I hope this has shed some light on why Rescues charge Adoption fees and why they will continue to do so.
Check out our Adoption Fees page for more information.
Your comments are welcomed and you entitled to your opinion, but keep it clean.
RSS Feed
