Why does it cost so much to adopt a pet from a shelter? Susan Tarczewski

Why does it cost so much to adopt a pet from a shelter?

Susan Tarczewski - Claremont, NH

One of the common questions staff at shelters and humane societies all over the country are asked during the adoption process is, “why does it cost so much to adopt a pet?” Some members of the public think that rescue groups make money on adoption fees, but this is simply not true. Rarely do those adoption fees even cover the full expenses incurred while an animal is in the shelter’s care.

To begin with, there are the costs of maintaining a rescue facility: rent or mortgage and taxes, heating and cooling expenses, electricity and water bills, and of course, office supplies and other “overhead” expenses. Caring for animals requires specific types of enclosures, which not only must be purchased but maintained. Rescue facilities with dogs need fenced outdoor areas in which the dogs can run, play, and “do their business.” Shelter staff needs equipment such as heavy-duty gloves in order to handle some animals during routine care.

Daily care for animals in a rescue facility includes providing food and water but much more than that. Litter boxes for cats are needed, as are outdoor areas for dogs. Bedding and toys are also necessary for the comfort and enrichment of their lives. Most rescue operations have a routine protocol for pest control, which requires medications and treatments. Animal enclosures need to be cleaned daily, which calls for cleaning equipment. Responsible rescue organizations routinely spay or neuter all animals that come through their facilities, helping to stop the cycle of unwanted animals. All of these tasks need people to do them, meaning that trained and reliable volunteers and/or paid staff are a necessity. Every bit of this effort has a cost, whether it be in dollars or in donated items and volunteer time. Please note that we haven’t yet covered anything other than the maintenance of a facility and routine care of rescued animals!

Often when animals come into a shelter, they are in poor health and in need of more than routine care. Animals who enter a shelter in good health, and already “fixed” usually require a minimal amount of care. Sadly, this is not the most common situation. Strays and surrendered pets may be injured, underfed, infested with fleas, or have an underlying health condition. Owners having financial troubles may surrender their animals to a shelter because they are unable to afford expensive care for a sick animal. Worse, truly irresponsible pet owners may simply dump an animal, under the misguided notion that they can fend for themselves. They can’t. The luckier of these poor animals will be brought to a rescue facility where they will receive the care they need to live healthy lives. As anyone with a pet knows, good veterinary care is not inexpensive and it can be hard to get veterinary appointments especially during the current pandemic. At Sullivan County Humane Society, in large part, because we took in a high number of cats needing extensive medical care, our veterinary bill for one month recently was over $16,000!

When you adopt an animal from a reputable rescue organization, please remember that those seemingly high fees are probably less than the organization has spent on caring for that animal. At SCHS, all cats are spayed or neutered, fully vaccinated, treated for parasites, tested for common feline illnesses, microchipped, and have received all additional necessary medical care before being put on the adoption floor. Check out the cost of having all this done privately, and you’ll likely agree that it is a good bargain!!

If you have any questions about this or other issues to do with your pets, please call the Sullivan Human Society. Our mission is to preserve, protect, and provide for stray, neglected, and abused animals in Sullivan County, NH. Donations to the shelter are always needed, always welcome, and can be mailed to PO Box 111, Claremont NH 03743. SCHS is a no-kill shelter, and provides many services to the public, including regular low-cost spay and neuter clinics, and a pet food bank. For more information about SCHS, please visit sullivancountyhumanesociety.org or our Facebook page, Sullivan County Humane Society of NH.

Squeaky’s Awesome Visit to the Vet

(A Pet Owner’s Penchant for Projection)

by Gary Lee

Tail vertical, held high and rigid as a flag pole. Hair combed to a smooth, healthy shine. Claws trimmed short but angled sharply. Teeth burnished brightly. Matted fur that used to hang and sway as luggage below her… Now coiffed clean. Squeaky came home from the vet today And feels pretty again.

In dim light, she struts along the trimmed grass of her backyard 'catwalk' Where all things domestic end and the shadowed mystery world begins. As I watch, she flaunts her reFURbished profile confidently, in all The savage beauty of her erstwhile ancestors. A fair warning, I believe, to all hearkening rodents.

Squeaky came home from the vet today And senses the huntress’s return.

Twilight it is. The crack between the two worlds, Where power hovers and stalkers’ strength is accumulated. Here, now, her approaching padded prowl cannot be heard. Here, in deepening shadows, her savage allure And unbending intent cannot be slighted.

Squeaky came home from the vet today And burns with the fire from within.

Squeaky, cousin to jaguar and leopard, ocelot and lynx, Decrees in her tribal language of shimmy and sway To all small animals (including fox) along this wood’s edge: “If you are not afraid, you should be! You should be very afraid!”

Squeaky came home from the vet today… And she is damned dangerous!