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!!!!