I have heard many complaints after visiting the SPCA about the high cost of adopting a pet. I have been there and have 2 beautiful adopted cats that did cost $150 plus tax. I used to complain until I realized what goes into keeping my prospective pet fed and healthy.
There is this to realize before going to the SPCA for prospective pet owners. First off, your new pet did not arrive at the SPCA with room and board in hand, most of these pets are stray, abandoned or severely abused, there are few animals who's previous owners had no choice but to bring their cherished pet to the SPCA.
The Cost Breakdown: When a stray is first brought in to the SPCA he / she is carefully checked over by a neighboring vet and treated for various reasons from the condition in which they were found. Then the vet administers much needed shots before that animal can be put into the general population of homeless pets awaiting adoption. The food alone is a premium cost for each animal, not to mention price of litter for cats.
When a pet is finally adopted the cost does not end there for the SPCA, before your new companion is able to go to it's new home he / she must return to the vet to be spayed or neutered to prevent yet another batch of stray and unwanted animals roaming around. The day you pick up your new companion he / she has a microchip embedded in the neck region with all your information, just in case your new companion happens to get away and end up back in the loving hands of the SPCA.
As for the unseen costs of adopting a pet at the SPCA, the shelter with its heat and hydro, the scarce employees who work for minimum wage just because they love and care for unwanted animals and don't want to see any harm come to them. Thank goodness for the volunteers, without them no dogs can actually be taken for walks and cats will not go un-cuddled.
So next time you inquire about the cost of a new pet and think it's too high, just think, is it really too high a cost for your long time companion?
