If you are thinking about adopting a pet from a shelter, thank you! There are many great pets out there who have lost their homes for one reason or another and are waiting for a new family to love them.
Be aware that you will be asked to pay an adoption fee. The fee varies from shelter to shelter; adopting my Miko was by far the best ninety-five dollars I have ever spent. But don’t think of it as buying a pet that nobody wants! The adoption fee helps the shelter keep running!
What does your adoption fee do?
- Pay for vaccines for resident pets to help them be healthy and ready for their new families.
- Pay for spay or neuter for resident pets to help fight overpopulation and make sure fewer pets end up in shelters! Spayed or neutered pets are also healthier and tend to live longer.
- Pay for general health care and special health needs for resident pets.
- Pay for the physical shelter itself — housing, taxes, and utilities.
- Pay for food, treats, and toys for the resident animals.
- Pay wages for the people who work at the shelters full time. Many shelters depend heavily on volunteers, but most have at least some sort of paid staff.
- Pay for microchipping to help reunite lost pets with owners.
Perhaps most importantly, an adoption fee (and a rigorous screening process) helps put off people who might not be responsible pet owners. Think of it this way: if a person isn’t willing to pay a two hundred dollar adoption fee, would that same person be willing to pay expensive veterinary bills if their new pet gets sick? Would they be willing to pay for monthly flea and tick preventative? Would they be willing to pay for quality pet food?
A pet is a large financial responsibility. Shelters don’t want to send a pet home only to have them returned! If you can’t agree to the adoption fee, you may need to reconsider the commitment you are making to the animal you want to bring home. Making sure that pets go to a loving, responsible home is the number one concern for shelters and rescues.