While visiting the Wake County Animal Shelter today I noticed adopting a pet is not as costly as I had imagined. I spoke with a fellow shelter employee named Dawn who tends to all kennel responsibilities. She explained, it costs 95$ to adopt a dog and 45$ to adopt a cat at WCAS. These prices include FIV testing for cats only, de-worming, all vaccines/shots, and neutering. The Raleigh native also stated that these prices change depending on the shelter’s needs. For example, when she started volunteering at the shelter, a few months ago, adopting a dog cost $120 and adopting a cat cost $100.
As always, price variances trace back to supply and demand. For example, Dawn said the prices were lowered in order to entice individuals and families to adopt more pets at affordable costs. Thus, when adoption costs are too high people tend to adopt less which negatively affects the shelter and its employees. On the other hand, when adoption costs are too low, Dawn explained families who cannot afford a pet, adopt one because it’s cheap to do so, which negatively effects the animal and the ethicalness of the shelter.
In the same light, Dawn clarified how people usually adopt dogs rather than cats. Therefore, the higher adoption fee for dogs makes up the difference for the low adoption fees for cats. They are not equal because the shelter is attempting to increase the demand for cats since the demand for dogs is constant.
After our cost conversation, I asked Dawn to express her opinion on giving homeless critters away for free. She said giving animals away for free would hurt the productivity of the shelter and animals would end up the hands of the wrong kind of people. Also, the shelter would lose money since they supply medical treatment to the animals. However, free pets would significantly reduce the shelter’s euthanasia rate.
Later on, I scouted out a friendly shelter visitor named Nikki. I asked Nikki to share her point of view on the same topic. The Wake Forester claimed the animals should be free because of their intense need for love and homes. Nikki also stated giving the homeless animals away for free would probably negate the shelter’s function because people would take in stray animals off the street without restriction.
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| This is an image of Nikki, a local visitor, cuddling with Home Body the itty bitty kitten. |
The downside of no restrictions is a the lack of precautions that goes with it. The shelter does a tremendous service of vaccinating the animals and taking care of those who are sick. This protects not only prospective pet owners, but also the pets they may already have.
ReplyDeleteI hope this does not come off wrong but I was surprised that it costs 45 to adopt a cat. I am always on craigslist and people are giving away kittens by the dozen. By NO MEANS do I think that is a good thing... but I guess it scewed my idea of how much a cat would cost.
ReplyDeleteI love the picture of Nikki and the kitten!
This is a very good photo of Home Body. I like how it shows the perky, smart little cat engaged and happy in Nikki's arms, just settled in there as if Nikki had always been her owner. It would be a great photo to advertise how easy it is to bond with these tiny creatures.
ReplyDeleteI too was told about the ideas behind pricing. It is a challenge to find not only good homes for the animals but to find a good pet to every person! I understand why they make cats cheaper but this by no means makes them an "easier" pet.
ReplyDeleteYou are bringing up some good diverse view points about animal adoption. I am wondering where you stand on this issue? Photo is very well exposed, and flatters the animal as cuddly creature!
ReplyDeleteWhat I find interesting is that in most animal shelters, if not all, the dogs cost more than the cats. This makes sense in a way. However, cats out number the dogs at my shelter nearly by double. Just interesting that cats are less expensive than dogs yet there are a greater number of cats available. I wonder if that's the same for Wake County?
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