"FREE" cats/kittens cost more...

**moosmom** · 06-22-2009, 08:02 AM

I commend any shelter that spays/neuters before adopting out to prospective families. Charging the new families a high adoption fee will weed out any irresponsible pet owners and will also show exactly how much owning a pet will cost them. They are basically only recouping what they've had to shell out for the care of the pet. I wish more shelters would require that. There'd be far less unwanted pets.

**Pinot's Mom** · 06-22-2009, 08:13 AM

I agree they need to charge the fees to 1) recoup losses and 2) weed out people who aren't really serious. We got Pinot from the shelter; her fee was, I think, $85 - $100 and she was spayed. I'd gladly pay it again!

**moosmom** · 06-22-2009, 08:33 AM

Pinot's Mom,

Same here!!

**Jenn&Dean** · 06-22-2009, 11:16 AM

Catty1,

I completely agree. The day I got Dean I was just planning on going to the local Humane Society to take a look around and think about adopting a kitten/cat.

Well, just so happens, it was National Adopt a Kitten day... So, there I see the cutest little fawn tabby, at the time named OJ. So they push me into a "visiting" room and tell me how cute he is, and he's had his shot, neutered, and micro-chipped. I was thinking "this is the right place to get an animal, if it is the right time, is this the right time?"

Well, it must have been the right time, because she told me they were adopting out kittens for $17.00 that day. And I thought... WHAT A DEAL!

So, I filled out my adoption information, they put him in a carrying box for me, and off we went. Never separated since.

I got a vaccinated, neutered, and micro-chipped feline for a small fee of $17.00. It has been 3 years since I've had him and each trip to the vet has cost $30.00 dollars for his rabies shot, booster shot, and annual exam.

I couldn't be happier with my adopted kitty!

**orangemm** · 06-22-2009, 02:11 PM

We did the same thing; went to PetSmart to "look" at the adoptees. Of course we had to step in and hold one (Archy). So we decided to adopt him. I had been holding another kitten (Binky), but Jeff said he was too "wild"

. So we filled out the application for Archy and a day later a woman from the adoption area called my husband and told him we could have Archy, but could we think about adopting his brother, too? Yes, it was the "wild" one.

And, yes, we took both of them! And, trust me, Binky is the opposite of "wild"! I don't know if they are really brothers or not, but they've been together since kittenhood, so at this point, they are.

I wouldn't trade them for anything.

eta: and, yes, we paid a fee for both of them.

**lvpets2002** · 06-22-2009, 03:10 PM

Yup that is the truth = nothing is free.. Thats like the Tractor Supply Commercial where the man says someone gave my son a free puppy.. Then they end up at the vets & tractor supply store buying beds & toys & food..

**3Catcondo** · 06-22-2009, 03:12 PM

Cricket was a "free" cat and the startup costs for her were way more expensive than with my adoption fees for the other 3. I wouldn't trade her for the world but she came to me "free" at 3 1/2 mos old, not tested for fel luek and aids, full on upper respiratory, no shots, unaltered of course because she was too young. I think it was about $225 to get all of these things taken care of out of pocket, so I think a $90 adoption fee is well worth it. So I def agree that "free" cats/kittens cost more.