Too high adoption fees (poodles, clean, breeding, rescued)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Both of my dogs were adopted from a rescue group. I paid $350 for my first because he was under a year and I think $250 for my second. I became close friends with the person I adopted my dogs from. Yes, she did a home visit and yes, she called references, but I did not feel that was intrusive at all. She came over for a chat at my home and it wasn't a big deal. There are definitely rescue groups out there with bad intentions or who turn away good homes, but there are also a lot of them out there doing wonderful work and savings as many dogs as they can. I know those people want to ensure that the dogs they adopt out are not going to be left chained outside all day or dumped off at the shelter again and that's why they require those things to adopt. I don't think $350 is too much at all. The rescue takes in a lot of sick and hurt animals and they use that money for vet care.
I have never bought a dog. All of my dogs have either been strays or I have adopted them. I am always encouraging my friends and co-workers to adopt. My concern is the price of adoption fees now. I more than understand it takes a lot of money to care for a dog at the shelter, with vet cost, food and all it entails to care for these dogs but some of the shelter or rescue groups are charging more for an adoption than the higher price breeders. The two closest local shelter to me are charging around $125 to $175.00 this is reasonable considering that the dog is fixed and has all of its shots but a couple of the rescue groups are charging $325-$450. These groups also only have little cute puppies, you hardly ever see an adult lab or a heinz 57 dog available. My co-worker just got a new puppy and I was helping her look for one. We did petfinder and looked at the local shelters but then someone suggested a local, family oriented breeder. She bought a purebred ****zu for $75.00. This puppy was well socialized and very healthy. I sometimes think the shelter and rescue groups are pricing themselves out of adoption range. I adopt to save a life but it is hard to convince others to do the same when some of the adoption fees are so high. Just a note I live in a very rural area and a long way from a major city so these cost might seem low if you live in NJ or NY but in this area they are high. What is your opinion on this?
It seems that all rescue groups charge between $300-$500 from what I've seen. I think those are very high fees, especially if you are adopting a senior dog.
I was OK with the fees....however, when I talked to a lady from the rescue she seemed to have the opinion that since we have a kennel license we were not a suitable home.
We just have a license because to have over four dogs in our county it is code......we had six, four hounds......two house dogs.....both have been put down.
Some are very expensive some are not. I just adopted my dog Dory for $100 which included microchip, spay, shots. That alone is more expensive than her adoption fee.
I adopted my dog for $17. That included the spay, rabies shot and license, a set of shots and many coupons for discounted training, free vet check, free pet hotel and day care stay, free bag of food, as well as discounts on many products to get off on the right foot.
I adopted one of mine from a city shelter for $75 and the other from a rescue for $125. I also volunteer taking photos for the rescue I got my second kid from. If you could see the condition some of these pups come in, it would break your heart and you would understand why fees can grow.
Also, one difference between rescues (good ones) and shelters is that shelters tend to let animals go to whomever pays for them. Rescues, will not only take care of medical needs but will also put them through basic training (at least potty) and will do behavior testing to see what kind of family would be best suited to them.
My home visit comprised of the foster parents hanging out with me on my deck while the dogs all played in the yard. We had a good time. It wasn't like they were going through my closets or raiding my underwear drawer...
It's not black and white and I do get why rescues charge more.
I inquired about a few dogs from the pricey rescue groups, and their lists of required things for dogs was ridiculous, and the whole application process, and a home visit. Give me a break.
I looked into adopting a retired show papillon and they insisted the dog MUST have a yard. I live in an apt downtown, and am retired with all the time in the world to walk a dog. Really? A papillon MUST have a yard? Sheesh.
I said pshaw on these elitist snobby groups, and adopted my Jackie (rat terrier mix) from the county shelter in Red Bluff. Found her on Petfinder, called them, and they held her for me a few days until I could move to the area.
When I got there, I started explaining (basically begging, because I knew she was the dog I wanted) that I don't have a yard, but I'm retired, and I promise to walk her, yatta yatta. The nice lady there stopped me and said, "Honey, we don't care - this is a shelter. We're just glad you want her, etc."
They charged me $35 and gave me a vet coupon for a free checkup, free micro-chipping, they'd had her heartworm tested, too. She was already spayed when they found her.
At any rate, it just goes to show, there is no need to have to pay outrageous adoption fees. Save one yourself from being euthanized at the shelter for way less money.
I'm involved with a rescue group and our adoption fees are recalculated every 2 years or so or arrive at the average cost to the rescue group for our dogs and cats. We pay for all appropriate worming, immunizations, heartworm testing, spay/neuter (several area vets offer us a discount, plus we apply for and receive spay/neuter grants from pet food companies, pet stores, Humane Associations, etc.) and micro-chipping.
We have no facility; we pull adoptable pets from local pounds and shelters, based on temperament testing, and place them in foster homes. We pay for their food and vet costs while they're in the foster home. They are posted on petfinder and other adoption sites, and our fosters agree to take the animals to adoption events.
We're much more flexible on the whole "you must have a yard" stuff, and try to have some common sense. At the same time, we try to make sure it's a good match because it's easier on everyone, including the animal, if they aren't brought back because it didn't work out for some reason. Plus, the foster is able to provide lots of information to a potential adopter, based on having the animal in the household for however long.
Another reason, which isn't spoken of often, but is a consideration, is that we also have a huge dog-fighting problem here, and charging more than the pound does discourage the purchase of cheap bait dogs.
So, while we do a lot of fundraising, it's difficult to keep up with covering the costs to keep these adoptable animals in the foster system.
We encourage folks to go to local shelters and pounds if they can't afford our fees (average around $200) and don't want to spend money on vets.
I'm in the process of adopting a one-year old Alaskan Malamute from the Moonsong Malamute rescue in Idaho. I filled out a four-page adoption request, and emailed it to the rescuse. I was interviewed over the phone for about a half hour, I have had all three of my references contacted and interviewed for about 10 minutes each.
They will do a house inspection next Monday evening (I close on the new house in ID on Monday AM), at that time they will introduce the new male to my current 2.5 year old Female Mal to see if they get along. Hopefully all will be ok, and when I finally move up the first week of Oct, I will pick the new dog up for good.
Personally, I see nothing wrong with this process. One of the main reasons Mals are let go to roam or turned over to rescue agencies is that the majority of people have no idea what it is like with a Malamute. (I passed that part easily since my current one is not my first; there were more.)
The cost to me will be $195.00 and I will gladly pay that for the right dog. The costs to board this dog in a kennel, and the vet bill to neuter, and for the shots would be well over that $195.00 amount. Heck, my current Mal's airfare from OK to CO was twice as much.
Yes, those shelters are up in their knees with unwanted dogs who need homes. But at $35 and the "honey we don't care, just glad you will adopt" attitude are just the right opportunity for some crazy nut to adopt a poor dog and take it home to torture it to death. This has happened often.
I would much prefer the rescue groups who actually do extensive background checks before they let someone take a dog. Also, I am of the opinion that if you cannot afford the adoption fee, then pet ownership of a dog may not be right for you. It's expensive to keep a dog or cat, or any animal, properly. Then, there are the hoarders who take in huge numbers of animals cheaply, only to become overwhelmed and the animals suffer from neglect.... etc etc etc.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
