There are no public shelters around here, only rescues and private human associations. Dogs and puppies rarely go for under $100, sometimes rescues charge over $300. Cats and kittens usually around $75. There is more demand than supply here for dogs so they can charge what they want, but in the past few years the population of dogs has been increasing in the area and rescues are charging less. Cats are another story. There's so many of them. You can always find an adoption sale going on in the area for cats.

I find with the economy going bad there are more people not altering their pets and also more people trying to make a buck by breeding them.

I do not like to think about paying for a cat since there are free cats all over, but if I fell in love with a specific one I don't think even $100 is a bad price for a long-lived companion animal. I paid that for my ferret after all. Dogs it depends. For an elderly dog I don't want to have to pay $300, but I would. I know what shots and food and altering an animal costs.