Arguments in Favor of Charging an Adoption Fee
Most people are decent people. However, the sad reality is that some people are not—and charging an adoption fee helps to protect animals who need rehoming.
Heres an example: Its no secret that labs experiment on animals. Its also no secret that dogfighting rings still exist today and use animals as “bait” to train their fighting dogs. Giving animals away for free makes them easy targets for this type of situation, where the animals life has no monetary value. If you charge an adoption fee, its less likely that someone will turn around and use the dog in a lab or as bait. Its less likely that it will be profitable for them, so they just wont bother.
And neither could another couple who thought they would be going home with one cat but didn’t know it was pet adoption weekend. So now 3-year-old Justice and 3-month-old Avery are theirs.
“Unfortunately, intake is outpacing adoptions, so we are seeing that crisis,” said Best Friends Animal Society spokesperson Hannah Stember. “There are too many animals in shelters and, unfortunately, when shelters run out of space they have to kill animals because they are obligated to take in the public’s animals.”
The adoption fees for all cats and dogs over 6 months old at Best Friends Lifesaving Center and at other no-kill rescue groups are being waived this weekend to encourage pet adoptions because there is a crisis in animal shelters across the country caused by the pandemic.
SOHO, Manhattan (PIX11) – It’s raining cats and dogs at animal shelters across the country and they need your help. They are filled to the brim because of the pandemic. And now Best Friends Lifesaving Center is waiving adoption fees to encourage you to bring a furry friend home.
Four-month-old Roxy is the leader of a pack of four terrier mixes who just arrived from the south. She is super cuddly and affectionate and really in need of a loving forever home.
Why Are Some Shelters’ Fees Higher Than Others?
When it comes to the amount that a specific shelter charges as an adoption fee, there are a few reasons that go into determining the actual dollar amount.
Firstly, location can be a factor, especially for shelters that might be situated in higher rent areas.
Secondly, the number of dogs the shelter can handle can also affect the rate of the adoption fee. There’s also the issue of economy of scale if the shelter is able to bulk purchase food and essential supplies at cheaper rates.
More than adoption fees: The real cost of owning a pet
When you adopt a dog from a local rescue or shelter, there’s usually an adoption fee that you’ll need to pay before you can whisk your new pooch safely away to their forever home.
But what does the adoption fee really cover? And why do shelters ask for an adoption fee?
Have you ever adopted a dog from a local shelter and wondered exactly what the adoption fee covers? Well, one of the main things that adoption fees are designed to cover is a wellness visit by a veterinarian and any associated medical costs.
If you’ve also been wondering how much adoption fees help to fund shelters, the Animal Humane Society has estimated that adoption fees successfully cover 39 percent of the cost of caring for and rehoming animals. The rest is made up by fundraising efforts and private donations.
Along with covering the costs of caring for a dog while they’re at a shelter, adoption fees can also act as a way to deter people from taking dogs from shelters and putting them in abusive and inhumane situations, such as illegal dog fights.