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Tax Deductions For Adopting Shelter Animals?

post #1 of 6
4/18/09 at 6:49am
Thread Starter 
http://republican.assembly.ca.gov/me...=162&id=219260
IMO, it is a great idea to give tax deductions to people who adopt from the shelters, considering in CA shelters are required to be as nearly no-kill as possible. But, IMO, a $300 deduction, is better - it would cost the state (nearly bankrupt) around $3million, but the local govs. spend over $100 mill. just to care for shelter animals.
But I wonder if that would encourage adoption for monetary reasons
And would it help lower the costs of gov sheltering of animals that much anyway
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post #2 of 6
4/18/09 at 8:05am
A $300 deduction, even if you're in the top bracket, save you only about $120 in taxes. For most of us, it would be only $45 in taxes. And that's assuming you have enough deductions to itemize.

In my book, that not enough incentive for people to adopt for purely monetary reasons.

I donated a free neuter every month last year, which comes to $300. I have what I would consider a lot of deductions, and the standard deduction was still more than if I itemized.
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post #3 of 6
4/18/09 at 9:27am
I have a friend who is looking to adopt from a shelter only to avoid the start up routine vet visits...the local shelter charges a $80 adoption fee for cats. The cat comes altered and up to date with shots and you get one free vet visit (done by their vet). To me, that's awesome it would have saved me lots of money if I had adopted from there, but to my friend that's a little over the top, I know some shelters charge only around $30-40 and offer all that minus the free visit. So, if a shelter charges $30-40 and you get a $45 off of taxes, then you get an altered vaccinated animal all ready for its home for free! I think it's great because there are people I know who don't adopt just because they can't afford those start up costs...It can be really expensive, I paid about $150 total for Jake so far but I really shopped around..
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post #4 of 6
4/18/09 at 9:31am
We charge $75, but $25 is for a spay/neuter voucher. I figure by the time we have the cat a month, we're into it about $200. And I go straight to the vet before I bring them home, even with a foster.

We're talking about such small amounts of money that it won't help someone who is really short on money, and it's not enough to be significant to someone who would get the maximum benefit from it.

A $300 tax credit, on the other hand, would help everyone the same.
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post #5 of 6
4/18/09 at 5:15pm
A tax credit is no responsible reason for adopting a pet. How about a tax credit for paying veterinary expenses instead of surrendering your pet to a shelter? I truly see where they're coming from, but I don't see this as a good idea at all.

If you are so strapped for cash that this deduction would make a difference, your probably shouldn't be adopting a pet in the first place.
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post #6 of 6
4/18/09 at 7:01pm
I wonder how many people would adopt, just to get the credit - then release the cat ... the idea of getting a deduction for vet expenses, would probably float.
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