The kids and I went to the Shelter last Saturday. "Mommy, please. I'll contribute money. I'll walk and feed it. Please. Mommy. Please." "How much do you think it costs to take a dog home," I asked.
"I have $35. Is that enough?" was my son's reply
"Sadly, no."
"I'll do more chores, I'll ask for more money."
My son is an innocent bystander to this course. He wants a dog of his own badly. Never mind we already have a dog. And a cat. And goldfish. He just wants someone else to love. This I understand. I gave my mother the same begging speech.
How much does it cost to adopt an animal from the Wake County Animal Shelter? Dogs cost $45. Cats cost $15. Rabbits cost $20. What's included in that price? A microchip, so when your pet runs away, escapes, or however he or she gets lost, you can be tracked down. The first series of shots, we want these animals going to their new forever homes healthy. And deworming. Again, better to take home a healthy pet.
Spaying or Neutering is not included in that price. Please note that all animals will be leaving the Shelter spayed or neutered. It's the responsible thing to do to prevent over population of unwanted animals as well as preventing the animals from being bred for negative reasons. It also curtails puppy mills from popping up all over. The price for this operation is $50. You as the new owner of the pet will be responsible for the cost. However, some animals come to the shelter already spayed or neutered. If you adopt one of those, you will not have to incur this cost.
My children and I had a conversation about why the Shelter doesn't just give away the animals for free. While giving the pets away for "free" would be a fabulous idea and possibly get more people in to adopt, it leaves open the question of who pays for everything that happens at the shelter? Would it come from taxes? Or would the shelter have to close?
I think the only way to answer this question is to ask what are some of the hidden costs at the shelter? There's overhead. The property and building cost money to maintain. Although minimal, there are salaries. Someone has to run and manage the shelter. Volunteering doesn't happen on its own. And then you need someone to organize and train the volunteers. These animals need medicine, food, and water--necessities that are not free. Laundry gets done regularly. The washer and dryer have been in constant motion everytime I've been there. That includes bleach and detergent. So there are costs involved in operating a shelter. What's not included in the cost of adopting a pet are other costs that every responsible pet owner should consider before welcoming a pet into their home. They include regular vet visits; while these pets are provided with their first round of shots, many need multiple doses. Collar and leashes or leads. Food and treats. And extras would include toys, crates (for crate training, which is great for puppies), training for the dog and you, puppy pads, clothes, and the list can go on depending on how much disposable income you have.
I think it is so great that you took your kids to the shelter! Good pet ownership skills are so important. Unfortunately there are many people who don't learn these valuable skills which may contribute the intake of animals at the shelter. You did a great job of pointing out where the fees go. The adoption fees help the shelter do all that they do for the animals.
ReplyDeleteKaren, I loved reading this post! What a great idea to take your kids to the center! It is so important to teach those skills because owning a pet is a full time job (but a very rewarding job!) I like that you included pictures of your children and the conversations that took place such as the adoption fees.
ReplyDeleteThis is a very engaging post. I really appreciate how you engage the reader with dialog. You bring up some very good points that are well reasoned—like the costs of running the shelter,
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