A Real Bargain

Some peoples think that they should be able to go to a shelter and get a good dog for free. After all, shelters are full and there are so many homeless animal, they think that the shelters would want to give pets away.

Different shelters in different parts of the country charge different money. Sometimes special needs or senior dogs cost less because they have a harder time getting adopted. Puppies usually cost most because everyone thinks puppies are better to have. I don’t think that is always true. For example, senior dogs are a good match for senior peoples.

There are lots of reasons shelters need to charge money to adopt a pet.

1. The shelter is a home and everyone knows that it costs money to live in a home. The shelters have to pay bills like regular peoples.

2. Even though lots of shelters have volunteers who feed and walk the dogs, some body has to be the boss. Bosses and other employees who take care of the day to day operations need to be paid. These are the people who make sure the animals are taken care of properly and that they get adopted to good homes.

3. Pets need to eat and food costs money. Some pets need special food which costs more.

4. And don’t forget toys! Pets need toys and beds and dishes and leashes and collars and stuff, just like dogs who live in houses.

5. One of the most important thing for an owner to do is to keep their pets healthy and shelters have to do that too. All of the pets need to have shots and be checked to make sure they don’t have heartworm or ticks or mites or any other buggies. They should also be tested for stuff like lyme disease and other diseases.

If a pet has heartworm, or lyme or something bad, then they need to have medicine until they are better. All of that costs money,

6. Some pets enter the shelter in really bad shape. They have been mistreated so bad that they need medical treatment to get better. They may need things like x-rays or antibiotics or other medical things to help them heal.

7. Most shelters make sure that pets are spayed or neutered. More puppies or kittens would only mean more need for shelters. Although many shelters have vets who give reduced rates, surgery and medicines are still expensive.

8. And most shelters microchip all pets before they get adopted. They know how easy it is for a pet to get lost and end up in another shelter.

So, when you pay to get a pet from a shelter, you are giving that shelter money so that it can take in another animal and give it good care until someone comes along to adopt them.

For all the love and affection that shelter pets give, I think you are getting a real bargain.

Love,

Zeva

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