http://thebarkinglot.net/general/true-cost-of-rescue

Great info: https://www.petfinder.com/pet-adoption/pet-adoption-information/what-is-included-in-an-adoption-fee/

Why do you charge an Adoption Fee?

(Reposting from a rescue friend Our adoption fee is $375 - but the point of the message applies.)

Dear Potential Adopter Just Who Balked At My Adoption Fee:

Whenever anybody does question the adoption fee I always recommend the following. Go to your own veterinarian and get them to give you an estimate for the following: health exam, vaccines that include distemper, rabies, Bordetella, and leptospirosis including a booster that would be needed 3 to 4 weeks later, Deworming medications – several doses, fecal exam, microchip, neuter surgery, and bloodwork. Then add on 4-5 months of flea tick and heartworm preventative since that is how long Logan has been in my rescue. Add on food, supplies like crate, bed, toys, leashes, collar etc. – since I have to provide all of that to my fosters. Whatever that estimate is, I would be more than happy to use that as the adoption fee. Whether it’s higher or lower, I would be totally OK with that. If you could also find that lower than $550, I would love to then partner with that veterinarian because clearly I can get these things done at a lesser cost with that vet. My point is obvious – it will cost way more than $550.

This is just for basic care. 90% of my dogs need extensive veterinary care due to the abuse and the neglect they sustain. Crush injuries, beatings, stabbings, poisonings, amputations, drag injuries, injuries sustained from dogfighting/bait dogs, Shootings etc.

Then we have to treat the various illnesses and diseases like cancer, lymes disease, heartworm disease, parvo along with the minor infections like the raging skin infections they always have, ear and eye infections, urinary infections etc. If a dog needs surgery for bladder stones or obstructions etc or needs biopsies - that gets done. I have done neurology consults, Ophthalmology consults, cardiology consults, nephrology consults, and every other consult you could possibly think of - along with whatever treatment is required ( echocardiograms, ultrasound, x-rays, etc). Now add on the medications that they all require at some point - anything from antibiotics and medicated shampoos all the way up to seizure medications and heart medications. I spare NO expense. There is no breeder or farm that does that. There is no shelter that does that. Whether it costs me $5000 to save a dog or $100 to save a dog, the adoption fees always remain the same. Even if by some small small chance, which I think has happened maybe twice in my entire 12+ years of doing rescue, a dog does cost me less than what the adoption fee covers – then it goes to the obvious outstanding bills for the other dogs. But again, maybe twice that has happened?

Then there is the transport fees that I need to incur which can range anywhere from $150 per dog up to $1000 per dog, depending on where I am transporting that dog from, as I fly dogs in from other countries. Then there are the pull fees from the shelters, the money that owner surrenders demand, and all of the preventatives and medications and supplies that I have to provide to every single dog in every single foster home. I’m still not done – I spend thousands and thousands on just administration crap - paper and envelopes for the adoption packets, postage to mail all of that stuff out, ID tags, Microchips,etc etc etc. Wait, there is more – boarding, behavioral training, board and train facilities all cost money. I provide supplements, CBD oil, liquid collagen, and anything else they could possibly need to get them physically and emotionally healthy. So as you can see, these adoption fees don’t even begin to cover what it takes for me to get these dogs ready for adoption. These dogs do not live in shelters, they live in homes and are well cared for. That is the benefit of adopting from a rescue versus a farm, breeder, shelter etc. You know what you’re getting and absolutely every single solitary thing that could be done for this dog is done. You’re getting a dog completely ready. Rescues like mine do not receive funding at all - nor do we generate a profit of any kind. I run in the negative constantly with veterinary bills into the thousands at all times that I slowly pay down as I go. Of course they never go away because I constantly have an influx of dogs coming in.

The adoption fees and whatever donations I get aren’t enough. So the remaining funds come from my own pocket. So when I hear of somebody balking at an adoption fee I always give them the benefit of the doubt and just assume that they have no idea what actually running a rescue entails and how much money is involved. If someone can’t afford an adoption fee, then they can’t afford a dog. If someone just simply doesn’t want to pay that kind of an adoption fee, then they don’t understand rescue and I’m totally OK with not adopting to someone like that. The purpose of this email was not to be bitchy, although I can see it coming off like that. I honestly do not mean it to be. I mean it to be educational. Because I guarantee you that you had no idea just what this entails and how much money a rescue has to put out. And if you and ur boyfriend DID know and still balked at the adoption fee, then again, a rescue dog is not for you.

I just ask that you please be cognizant of this should you try to adopt from another rescue group and try to be more sympathetic and empathetic to what it is that we do. Rescues are not out to make a profit. This isn’t a way to make a living, it brings no income in. It’s the EXACT opposite. Rescuers do this out of their passion and drive to save as many lives as possible, 100% always at the expense of our own finances and our own personal life. You don’t have to agree with that - The majority of people in this world would never do what rescuers do. But I ask that you at least be respectful of it.

Best of luck in your search ,