# adoption fees



## Yvonne G (Dec 29, 2009)

I just read a blurb about the German Shepherd Rescue here in my town. They said their fee to adopt was $350 for dogs under a year old and $300 for dogs over a year old.

*THREE HUNDRED BUCKS!!!!!!!*

to adopt a rescued dog?? I can't imagine they'll find many homes charging that kind of a fee. 

I had no idea!

No wonder the doberman pups I've been reading about in the classified section are so costly. If it costs $300 to adopt a rescued dog I can imagine that a puppy from a breeder would have to cost more.

$300 bucks!! It just blows me away.


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## JourneyTort (Dec 29, 2009)

emysemys said:


> $300 bucks!! It just blows me away.



You will find that in most purebred rescues will charge an adoption fee and it is never $25. By the time the rescue pays for spay/neuter and shots, etc. (and depending where they live) it soon reaches up to $300 and someplaces can exceed that.

It also weeds out those people that want to make a buck just breeding animals to make money (and not just in the dog world) or in some cases impulse buyers that dont think things through.

I think it is a good way to ensure the dog is taken care of for the rest of their lives. Owning animals is not cheap and $300 is just a drop in the bucket once you have one in your life.


Also in most cases it is a very small fee compared to the price of a puppy from a reputable breeder and they usually come housetrained, socialised and with some basic training (unless you are getting from a shelter).


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## dmmj (Dec 29, 2009)

Same thing with the small dog rrescue I looked into for my mom, she wanted a ****-zu and they were charging a min. of 350. IMHO the idea of a rescue is to place dogs with people who want them, I know they need to recoup some of their money, but honestly if you charge to much you are gonna have a lot of dogs sitting around your house/shelter.


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## dreadyA (Dec 29, 2009)

I agree 300 is a little high,but Like journeytort said, its probably to ensure they live a good life and not for breeding or some creep to do home experiments on them.
At my local shelter, they range from $50-$200 depending on the breed and size.


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## Italianlnm (Dec 29, 2009)

IMO They will not adopt out many dogs with that fee. They are supposed to be adopting the dogs out to a rescue home, and they could buy a purebred cheaper. Personally I prefer to go to rescues, because there are always animals in them.. but that is sort of.. a LOT of money. And I agree..

They will just have a lot of dogs in the shelter because they are unable to get rid of them.


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## JourneyTort (Dec 29, 2009)

Italianlnm said:


> They will just have a lot of dogs in the shelter because they are unable to get rid of them.



It is a lot of money but I can guarantee you they do not have homes full of unadoptable purebred dogs because of the fees, in fact the opposite is true in most cases, there are waiting lists. People are willing to pay these fees for various reasons and a few being that 1. People prefer certain breeds and know what to expect from these breeds temperment wise; 2) it is not so easy getting a puppy (in most cases reputable breeders have waiting lists); 3) the foster families or organizations that run these rescues can afford to be picky on what home they will adopt these dogs out to because people are on said waiting lists and are fully screened; 4) sometimes people that have a certain breed will choose to adopt the next dog of same breed and are willing to pay the adoption fee to support rescue organizations of 'their' breed and in reality it is minimal compared to buying a puppy of that breed and having to do all that it entails once you bring puppy home which costs $$$


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## Stephanie Logan (Dec 29, 2009)

*******************************
"*a stuff-zu..." *
*******************************
Really, dmmj, you are just too funny for your own good!

From the Adoption page of the Denver Dumb Friends League:
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_Puppies and Dogs
Ã¢â‚¬Â¢Fees range from $55 to $300
The fees for puppies and younger dogs are generally at the higher end of the range. Fees for more mature dogs, as well as those with special needs, are generally lower.

Attaching higher fees for some of our puppies and dogs gives us additional resources to provide extra help to other animalsÃ¢â‚¬â€those that may require unusually extensive medical treatment, orthopedic or other surgeries and extended care, prosthetic devices, and even more. Meanwhile, we can continue to provide our standard top-quality care and support to those animals in need of more routine medical care, socialization, behavior training, foster care, or that may just require a longer stay until they can be placed in the right home. 

The fee assigned to a particular animal does not reflect our view of that animalÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s intrinsic value. Every puppy, dog, kitten, cat or other small mammal is valued equally here. Every pet that comes to our doors deservesÃ¢â‚¬â€and receivesÃ¢â‚¬â€the same tender care as every other. 

If the puppy or dog you have selected has a higher fee than some others, keep in mind that the amount still represents a good value. In addition to any necessary medical treatment and behavior training we may have provided, the fee includes initial vaccinations, spay/neuter surgery, a microchip ID, collar and tag, free 15-day post-adoption health support, and a free office visit to a member of the Denver Area Veterinary Medical Society. In our communityÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s retail sector, all of this could average $450 or more.

It goes without saying that no matter where our adoption fees are set, they donÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t come close to covering all the costs of caring for the more than 25,000 animals that come to us each year. Generous donations make up the difference. Thank you for your support and understanding_
***************************************************
We get all of our kitties from shelters, and frankly, if that fee is being used to keep more animals alive and healthy till homes are found for them, I'm all for it!


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## Italianlnm (Dec 29, 2009)

I know that, because my parents were on a list for a Westland Terrier.


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## Jacqui (Dec 29, 2009)

Ahh another of my pet peeves. 

I know a no-kill shelter in our area like that. They run a clinic where they charge $35 for a spay/nueter and all shots, so I know they aren't being charged more by the vet. The food they feed is given by various stores, the land was donated, ect.., I just think they have no real reason to make prices so high. It turns a lot of good folks away from the animals.

What hurts me most is they say they are picky in order to find these wonderful homes for the dogs. Yet, how wonderful is the life these dogs are currently living being kept for years at the shelter while waiting for "the perfect home"? 

In the old days, I was able to adopt from them before they went big time. They even called a few times asking me to come get this or that dog. When wanting a dog for the truck, they wouldn't even consider us fit enough to fill out an application, but they would love us to haul dogs to other people cross country for them. Take it from me, the dog we have in the truck gets more undivided attention, more spoiling, more walks, more vet visits ect.., then we have ever given any dog I have own in my life (including the ones I was training/showing).

What is even funnier, my friend volunteers with them and often has temp mother dogs with puppies at her home, but if she wanted to adopt one, she realizes even she no longer would be considered fit.

Off subject a bit, what do you feel about the high price tags on mixed bred dogs (done on purpose) or designer dogs?


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## Candy (Dec 30, 2009)

These rescues take full breed dogs out of shelters before anyone can adopt them and then they charge a very big fee to anyone who wants them. My sister found a Golden Retriever pup (about 1 year old) and when she went back the next day it was already gone to the shelter. That's just wrong. She was so mad she would have given it a great home. We have many times looked at the shelters for pugs, but they want $400.00 or more to adopted them. And a lot of these dogs have partial blindness. Oh well.


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## Laura (Dec 30, 2009)

I cost a lot to run a rescue if done well.. Some have boarding fees, high Vet bills, rescue fees, food bills, medical, vaccines etc.. If you buy a puppy, even just on a street corner.. lets say $25, then take it yo your vet:exam , fecal test, worming, vaccines x3 or more, spay/neuter etc.. All this will easily cost you $200 plus. A rescue does all that before adopted, some get less fees at Vets, not all. So it adds up. Getting a dog from a rescue.. you could be getting someone elses problem, or a great dog. some backgrounds are unknown. That includes health and temperment. Ive done both. Rescue and bought from a breeder. 
What I dont like is the local SPCA will charge more for Purebreds or puppies and less for dogs one year or older. They do it because they can.. I can understand the more for pups,, less for older,, but the purebred thing.. that really bugs me.

oh and the small cute fluffy ones.. they cost more too.


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## DoctorCosmonaut (Dec 31, 2009)

Almost sounds like more of a business than a rescue


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## dmmj (Dec 31, 2009)

dmmj said:


> Same thing with the small dog rrescue I looked into for my mom, she wanted a stuff-zu and they were charging a min. of 350. IMHO the idea of a rescue is to place dogs with people who want them, I know they need to recoup some of their money, but honestly if you charge to much you are gonna have a lot of dogs sitting around your house/shelter.



Sorry I actually meant ****-zu, late night posting be afraid, be very afraid.
something is weird when I type S H I T zu it automatically puts in stuff. censorship?


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## Jacqui (Dec 31, 2009)

dmmj said:


> Sorry I actually meant stuff-zu, late night posting be afraid, be very afraid.
> something is weird when I type S H I T zu it automatically puts in stuff. censorship?



Yes because the Shi followed by a T is a common swear word. Try Shih Tzu.
Nice little dogs my Mom had one and we showed two of them. My mom's loved to eat oranges with my Mom, but made these horrible grimacing facial expressions as she ate it.


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## Shelly (Jan 1, 2010)

Jacqui said:


> Shi followed by a T is a common swear word.



Since when?


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## dmmj (Jan 1, 2010)

I will refer to them as shih-tzu from now on.


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