Ugh - idiots!

[icedtea]

The ktties at my local shelter are around $70.

[moosmom]

Way back when I was living in Michigan, I used to go look at the cats at PetSmart on Eureka Road in Taylor. The cats are from an organization called HEADS (Helping Every Animal Down River Society). I don't want anyone to take this the wrong way. I'm just remarking on my observations.

If a person wants HEADS to take their cat off their hands (yes, I'm saying it sarcastically), HEADS insists that the cat be:

spayed/neutered
utd on all shots (Including Leukemia & Aids)
have a health certificate

THEIR fees????? $100-$175!! I'm sorry, but they're making quite a profit for a 401(c) 3 (NON PROFIT!!) organization. It also sort of proves the point that if people can't afford the adoption fees, they have no business adopting a pet. A vet visit alone is staggering. But hey, that's what I tell the people I adopt cats out to, along with shoving the vet bill in their faces. That usually shuts them up.

Good job, Kim!

[AlleyCat]

Abby's the only we adopted from a shelter - the others were rescues. And Abby's adoption fee was $125. I didn't balk !! I love Abby dearly !! I agree with what Lizzie said, anybody who doesn't want to pay $125 will most likely not love that animal enough to give it a good life. So it was not a problem for hubby and I to fork over that $125, and that's really sad that that guy didn't even want to pay $60.

[Corinna]

I up until last tuesday thought the same thing . I haven't had to pay full price for spaying or nutering for a LONG time. I was flabergausted when calling around to get Tyson nuetered I know why our human socity is so full. of babies. $80.00- $175 no shots just the nuter Man I'm glad hes a boy can't even imaginre a spay would be.

[QueenScoopalot]

A great idea for shelters to do is take a random poll of area vets (don't name them) and write down what their (no discount) prices are for all the medical treatment animals adopted by your shelter get. Most likely combo test, rabies FVRCP, and altering as resonsible shelters do. Title it "There's No Such Thing As A Free Kitten" and list the various "full price" services the adoption fee covers. It may make people realize that many if not most shelters operate on a showstring, and shell out much more money than they take in. Not to mention people have no clue that many shelters deal with URIs, broken limbs, and many other very costly treatments for cats. Often it will cost hundreds of dollars to treat a very needy animal, but the cat or dog will still cost the adopter a paltry sum IMO! Yes there are shelters that have paid staff, and charge a lot for unaltered and often untested pets (one near me that really is something ) and many of these adopted kittens and pups go on to make more un-needed pets as "Fluffy" and "Poopsy" must have a litter or two..... . But they are well supported by the public as well, unlike most small shelters *sigh* Glad you went with your gut instinct Kim, as that's usually the right thing to do. And here's an excerpt from a Yahoo group I'm on...and this sure takes the cake! My comments are below in red, and I'm planning on calling this shelter to ask questions about their pitiful policies.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~
Now that the dogs have been seized from the property the investigation
will be turned over to the sheriff's department.
If they track down the owner, he could be charged with animal cruelty
and abandonment.
If you want to take action in adopting the three abandoned dogs, contact
the Powell County Animal Shelter at
606-666-6410

They are open weekdays from 9am-4pm.

All puppies, kittens and cats are FREE.

Adult dogs are $30.
Unwanted animals can be dropped off anytime, no charges, no questions
asked.
WHAT TYPE OF "SHELTER" IS THIS!!!! GRRR!!!! Can we say "pitbull bait", quick $$$ for bunchers who hawk them off to labs...not to mention the reproduction that must come from this assinine idea of FREE???GRR!!!!

[krazyaboutkatz]

I think that paying $60 for an adoption fee is quite a bargain. I paid this much when I adopted Storm from the Humane Society 9 years ago and back then they didn't even test them for FELV/FIV. I had to spend about $200 more on him because he became very sick and had internal and external parasites. Today the Humane Society charges about $150 for their adoption fee and most smaller rescue groups charge between $90-$100. When I adopted Sky from the Humane Society almost 3 years ago, his adoption fee was $125. Now they at least microchip, give them their first vaccination, test for FELV/FIV, and spay or neuter them before you adopt them.

[kb2yjx]

There are some shelters that charge $199.00, and under the fee list EVERYTHING that was done to the cat or dog. They even microchip the cat/dog!!! Too bad he did dot understand that all the vet work could have cost him hundreds of dollars!!! You are correct: IDIOTS!!!