FOOD FOR THOUGHT:  Are Rescue Adoption Fees Too High?

Every rescuer has heard it; "If you really cared about finding good homes, you would just give the dogs away."  There are folks who will tell us that they could go to a pet shop and purchase a dog for just a little more than the adoption fee.  So what does the adoption fee pay for?
The assumption that rescue is a profitable business couldn't be further from the truth.  While not all rescue groups are created equal, regardless of the size or breed of dog, most will ask for an adoption donation ranging from $125 to $375.  When healthy animals, costing a minimal amount to make ready for adoption are taken in, the "profit" from that animal is applied to the many others who are not so fortunate.  Funds must routinely be spent on neutering/spaying, vaccinations (rabies, DHLPP, bordatella), screening for heartworms and fecal exam.  Veterinarian expenses for a healthy animal can run as high as $175 and even higher with the larger breeds.  The majority of found/stray/rescues DO require additional vetting.  It is almost always necessary to deworm the dogs.  Rescuers also treat the HW positive animal, illnesses and injuries (often broken bones).  Rescuers do whatever is necessary and it can take several months to return an animal to good health.  It is not unusual for this care to run from $450 - $1,580.00 or more  per dog.  Most rescuers, like us,  do this without benefit of financial backing or resources, choosing to spend their own money saving lives rather than spending on themselves.  I do not know of any individual or group making a profit. We are all volunteers. . 

If there are not enough foster homes to keep the animals while waiting for adoption, the animal must be boarded for a fee which becomes a very expensive additional expense above and beyond the cost of medical care and food for the animal.  Rescuers oftentimes foster animals in their own homes, making them part of their family while providing training and screening for behavioral and health issues, such as epilepsy.  Those issues addressed, hours are spent on the computer each day seeking the perfect home or setting up transports from shelters to rescue and rescue to forever home.  Setting up transports may take weeks to arrange, requires hundreds of emails, and hundreds miles of travel.  Phone bills are frequently outrageous.  It is necessary to make phone calls to shelters and veterinarians lacking email capabilities.  Many phone calls are made to inteview prospective adopters and to check their references.

"I COULD GO TO A PET STORE AND GET A PUPPY WITH PAPERS FOR THAT PRICE!"

Yes, for a little more or less than the adoption fee requested by a rescue group, one could go to a pet store and purchase a registered pup - and be responsible for helping the puppy mill industry to flourish!  Perhaps you are not troubled by the thought of that sweet puppy's mother living out her entire life confined to a filthy cage and barely able to stand up.  We would invite you to enter the words "puppy mill" into any search engine; you'll find thousands of links to learn more of the fate of these puppy mill dogs.  Even if the plight of the pup's mother doesn't concern you and your only motivation is to save a few dollars, you are woefully misinformed.  Pet store pups are notorious for "after costs" - not just the funds to cope with the many health problems, but also emotionally - fighting a losing battle with bad genetics, compromised immune systems and unstable temperaments.  Check out the 83,000 links for "pet store puppies" on Google.  And then, think again about that "bargain" puppy.

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