I Swear I Declare WARRRRRRRRRRR

That's it !!!!!! I've had all I can stands and I can't stands no more !!!!!!
I have went to the local pet adoption site and in order to rescue a cat from the animal control it costs $ 76.00 . With two cats thats times two ! Which would make that a grand total of $150.00 and more . I have read thier reason and it infuriates me . Okay they are charging that because they want you to have your animal spayed or nutered . I wrote them a letter back telling them that it is accusatory of them to ask for the fee in suspicion that I might not and that no one was going to pick up a stray for 76 $$ when they can get 1 on the road for free. I mean when it gets right down to it they are making the animals suffer for the irresponsibility of some pet owners who kicked them out ! I am so mad !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It isn't fair . They would rather spend (if they even are ) money to have them destroyed but wont let someone just have one . Maybe I am out of line I don't know but then again I was never one to follow instructions.

The main reason is they want to weed out the irresponsible pet owner and keep the animal away from anyone profiting by selling it to animal research. I adopt mine out with a minimal fee and a spay and neuter certificate and hope for the best. But with overcrowding, added costs, many shelters bump up the cost to help defray the cost of keeping the animal for an indiscriminate amount of time, and as I said to stop the bulk buying that certain individuals do, who then turn around and make a profit in the research industry. But, there are some shelters who are padding the pockets of certain people in charging outrageous amounts. One, near us just went through a huge audit and 3 people were fired for misappropriating funds.

WOW!! Lona that does seem a little expensive to me!! But then I don't really know how much cats go for in the States, over here I paid £30 for my stray female - that included spaying, and £25 for her brother, - including neutering, so for both of them it cost me £55 which is about $75 - $80 I think?!! (probably wrong!) I know that some rescue centres reason that you have to pay for the cats because of the cost of nuetering them etc...and also that it deters people who can't afford to look after them...but that really does seem very pricey to me!! If they charge too much for these poor cats, they're going to end up losing lots of loving homes! I only paid £100 for my full pedigree Cornish Rex (he was already 5 months old - but who cares??!!)which I think works about about $137 (or something similar)

Maybe you should have another word with the owners/staff and let them know.... what do you guys think? I can only go on what the prices are like in my area of the UK so I could be wrong......

here in town. It was $100 for both, and that included thier spaying, all of thier shots and tests for FIV & FIP.

In fact they took them to the vet, and I picked them up from there after they had been spayed and brought them home. That way they are sure that you get them spayed/neutered and you know that your money actually pays for the procedure.

I have paid as much as $40 for a shelter cat, but that included a certificate for the spay / neuter. I'm sure they were losing money on the spays, too.

$75 seems awfully high! Who in your city or county has jurisdiction over them? Perhaps you need to complain to someone higher up. You could also try a letter to the local paper. You might get it on the opinion page, and you might also pique the interest of a reporter or an editor. You might call a few other local facilities and compare prices so you have grounds for suggesting unfair prices.

When I adopted Midnight from my local no-kill shelter 13 1/2 years ago, the adoption fee for her was $30. This price included the initial vet check, all her shots, (she was about 2 months old when the shelter took her in), her spay, and the cost of Midnight's food and housing for 6 months.

I don't understand why your local pound feels the adoption fee needs to be so high. The pound doesn't have a lot of expense involved in caring for these animals, and a lower fee would still discourage irresponsible people.

I am sorry you are going through such a difficult time, first with the loss of your new kitten, and now this.

I guess you do make a valid point . I don't even want to think of someone going and getting animals to research on OMG . I would really be mad . I hate that we have domesticated these animals we the people and we still can't see that they live and breath and feel like anything with a soul . I had and animal stole .... Virgil I had him for 3 years . Since he was 4 months old .... he was a rehsus monkey and when this girl stole him from me I went to the district attorneys office and he said it IT was considered property like a stereo or something . That is the way people ( not all ) think of animals . I know this is ramblings of an over emotional person but I am sure if I sat down and researched it i could come up with some pretty valid points to ! I still think that is way too much . They told me last summer when i called they were putting down a thousand kittens every week and a half . They were so over rought it was crazy and still they charge that much ! I mean doesnt the poison to kill them cost ? I mean wouldnt it be cheaper to lower the fee and then they could ....grrrrr I dont know give me some time and I will figure this out ! I want to ....I need to .

When I got Danielle from the No-kill shelter, I had to pay an adoption fee of $50. I suppose that is to help cover the Vet that she was supposed to see before coming to us, which I now believe never happened. OR if it did, the Vet did nothing.

{with false innocence} Gee, Lona, sounds like you're about to open a no-kill cat haven or something, huh? {grin}

Oh my gosh! They were killing over a thousand animals every week and a half!! That is SO sad!!!!!!!! Those poor animals, and to think that some of them could have been adopted out if it were not for the high cost! I would be mad to. I realize they need to make sure you have them spayed or neutered because that way they don't keep reproducing more unwanted babies, but my gosh, sometimes it takes a little bit of time to get the money to do it, and in the meantime, these animals are being killed. I don't have all my cats spayed and/or neutered as of yet, (although I am working on it, one at a time) but at least they are still alive, and happy, and if any of them have babies in the meantime, they will have a good home, right here.

The fee here in Tampa is $60 (or was 2 years ago). That includes spay/neuter, tests for FIV & FIP, and a microchip implanted for identification.

I thought it was a pretty good deal, as you know you're getting a healthy pet. Plus, they have to generate revenue to pay for all the food, etc. somehow. I've heard of too many people who take a kitty home from a box outside the local store and find out he's ill.

I have no beef with the fee. They aren't free from the moment you bring them home.

Maybe I just live in an expensive area but those prices don't sound too bad! A friend of mine adopted a cat in DC a year ago and paid a little over $80 (that included neutering and shots).
I, on the other hand, did get a 'free cat from the side of the road' (thanks to a friend ), and I have already shelled out quite a bit to get the cat all settled.
Some local shelters offer certificates for discounted spay/neutering with vets in the area; however, I noticed that the prices were still pretty steep (most places required an exam which was another $35-$40 on top of the $60-$120 for surgery). Then there's the price of vaccinations to consider.
I guess it all depends on where you live and what you're used to...it's a matter of perception. I'm thinking that a shelter kitty is a pretty good bargain .

what does it typically cost to spay & neuter? I wasn't angry with paying $50 each for my cats because it included the neutering, and all the shots, and I thought that if I had to walk into a vet on my own it would have been at least that, if not more.


what do you experts say?

The people from the shelter replied to my letter basically saying some of the same things everyone is saying and I do understand that. I guess I am way too emotional and in this time of grief I am extra sensative . I dunno . Well when my Purdy died after I had him over 7 years of a respritory complication. That is when I went the next day and started to rescue every kitten I saw .... thats how I ended up with the 13 kittens and the 4 grown adults last summer . When my baby died ( Purdy ) I buried him myself and the whole time I was digging I was screaming at my bf and blaming him . I even broke up with him and I ment it ! I could be looking for a way to get my frustration out . I will however not relent on the fact that there is a problem with all these animals being treated like garbage . Used then tossed aside . Why must I day after day sit and pay !50 $ for vet visits and more when my animal is feeling bad but Joe shmoe next door has his animals running amuck and when they get sick he tosses them and gets a fresh one to abuse . I hate that and I hate even more I cannot stop that . Well I apologize for flying off the handle guys I hope I didn't look way to crazy > I mean I AM but only about ANIMALS !

sorry forgot to add this ...... In Nashville I payedonly 36 $ for the nuter and the shots !

I have to agree with Vikki. We adopted Sparkle from the Siamese Rescue about a year ago and I'm pretty sure the fee was $100.00 and that included spaying and initial shots. We also adopted Iris about a year ago from the Fairfax County Shelter and the fee was $75.00 and that included a "discounted" price for getting her spayed. I just did a query on my credit card, and since we have had Sparkle and Iris, we have charged $1,284.50 at Caring Hands Animal Hospital for various visits. Sparkle had several medical problems the first few months that we had her so that's where a lot of the expense is coming from - not to mention that I believe Caring Hands is slightly expensive but they are convenient and we really like them - nothing but the best for our girls! Talk about expensive "free" cats!