People searching for their next dog or puppy have asked, "why are adoption fees charged for rescue dogs and puppies?" Another similar question asked is, "why are adoption fees sometimes expensive, when rescued dogs are 'homeless pets?"
Since we know people who are involved with operating shelters and rescue organizations, we talked with them for you. We want to answer our members' questions, to be helpful to both our members as potential adopters, and the rescue organizations.
There are two common types of pet adoption organizations; Community Shelters (sometimes known as Humane Societies) and the second type - Rescues. Shelters and Rescues can be large and well funded, or small, with essentially no outside funding.
The larger, well funded Shelters, in bigger towns and cities often have very sophisticated fund raising capabilities. These Shelters can have dedicated paid management and employees, sometimes including veterinarians on staff. Of course, volunteers often help these facilities to operate, as well. In larger towns and cities, the budget necessary to provide services to the community can be very substantial. A portion of that budget comes from fundraising efforts, and some of the budget must come from adoption fees. These Shelters normally operate on a non-profit basis, and they must generate enough funding to take care of the animals and serve the communities' needs. (We will cover some of the expenses below.)
Rescue organizations generally are much smaller than the Shelters, and usually are all-volunteer and foster family based. Most Rescues do not have a shelter facility, and instead all of the pets are housed in volunteer foster family's homes. When the Rescue takes in pets for adoption, they live with the fosters until adopted by their new permanent families. Rescues typically have little or no fundraising capabilities. They are not funded by the town government, businesses or other outside sources.
Some of the expenses shelters and rescues must cover, to stay open, include basic needs like food and medicines. Crates, kennels, beds, leashes, grooming items, etc, all are necessary to provide care for the animals. Often the rescues and shelters take in dogs and puppies from out of state shelters because those shelters are seriously over populated. To save the dogs and puppies from a terrible fate, your local rescue will travel to pick them up. Of course transportation, gasoline, van rentals, etc, can add up to hundreds of dollars - even with volunteer drivers.
Veterinary services are necessary and can range from standard vaccinations and medications, to substantial vet costs for a dog that is seriously ill or injured. The costs of vet care can start at less than $100 per pet, but serious medical needs may generate costs of $1,000 or more, just for one puppy or dog. Rescues and shelters' goal and purpose is to save pets and find them homes. A pet that can be saved and adopted will not be euthanized at these "no kill" organizations because of a reason like - the vet bill to make them healthy is too high.
Adoption fees can range from as little as $50 to sometimes as much as $500. Both larger adoption groups, and smaller rescues must cover their expenses to take care of the animals, before people like you adopt them. (As a comparison, breeders and pet stores usually charge much higher fees for their pets. Pure bred puppies, as an example, commonly range well above $500 and can be priced above $1,000 or even $2,000 and higher.)
Adoption fees can vary, based on a number of factors, including the age of the dog, and the expected ease or difficulty of finding a permanent adopter for the dog or puppy. It makes sense that the shelter or rescue's costs must be covered, for them to stay open and continue to help these "homeless" pets, and save them from meeting a terrible fate.
Since the costs must be spread across all the adoptions, fees must allow the rescue to continue to operate and save the next dog or puppy, and find them a permanent home as well.
When you adopt a rescue dog or puppy, you can know that you are saving that dog's life.... and your adoption fee makes it possible for another pet to take it's place with the rescue or shelter. So you are participating in a chain of events that saves one dog, then another.... and so on.
Thinking about adding a new puppy or dog, to your family?
This new, FREE, service searches the internet for you, and sends alerts to your email address or cell phone.
Go to http://FindARescuePuppy.com
Fill in your choices for your next furry friend, and start receiving free Puppy Alerts today!
Free Puppy Alert Service, lets you know when your choice dog or puppy is available near you - ready for adoption. Visit now http://FindARescuePuppy.com
沒有留言:
張貼留言