Dogs: Why is it so expensive to adopt?

[Miss Piggy]

Just now I was thinking how it might be nice to maybe adopt a dog. I'd have to wait a few years though until I had the room and responsibility, but I wanted to go on Petfinder.com to see the dogs listed from shelters ready for adoption. Well first I was astonished at how many dogs are in shelters, and it was just in Houston, Texas. But I couldn't help but be rather astonished at how much it cost to adopt! I understood something around $100 was understandable since the dogs have to be treated medically, and the adoption fees, etc. But some were charging $200-$400 to adopt just one dog! Some were pure-breeds, but still there were in a shelter! I would never have thought that it wouldn't cost $300 to adopt a dog from a shelter......ever! And I don't mean to sound rude or harsh in any way, but if shelters like those complain about how they have too many dogs then maybe they should consider lowering their adoption prices. It sounds like to me they are just trying to make money, and I thought shelters were more than that. I can honestly say after looking at some of the adoption fees they charge ( like $225 for a mixed breed rottweiler) I definitely feel a bit more hesitant about adopting dogs.

I'm not trying to bash on shelters for dogs or any other homeless animal. It's more that I just don't understand how so much can be charged for one dog at one shelter, when I see another get only a $100 adoption fee. Does someone understand this and can explain it to me, or does anyone agree with me that this is a bit odd and wrong?

[piggyapril]

Well I have adopted 2 from shelters and one is a lab and one is a poodle scottie and I to live in Texas Haslet.
The vet bills are one reason to neuter and spay and to feed and in that price you also have to figure in the heat and air and the people that take care of the dogs, not to mention any other vet bills like alll the shots and the heart work checks and if there was anything wrong that caused them to take xrays.
both my dogs were 100 each and that was cheep but I would be very cautious of any place charging more than that for full blooded at the humane shelters they have a really hard time telling who is full blooded and who is not!!!!!
they rescue places that just to the indivial breeds will always cost you more

Hope this helps you and I really hope you adopt a dog my 2 from a humane shelters are the best dogs ever and I have one that I bought from a puppy mill ( i did not know at the time, she was at a pet store selling them and I just was too young to know about them 19yrs) My 2 rescue dogs really know that they are rescued....

[bunnyluv17]

Did you notice that particular breeds were more expensive, like pit bulls or rottweilers? The price could be a deterrent for people who want to fight dogs or who would keep the dog in a junkyard or only as a guard dog. If you visit these places, why don't you ask. At the local SPCA, it costs $35 a week to care for only one animal. And they also spay/neuter all the animals.

[Poohbear]

hi, Sorry to a dmit it though but 6 years ago I bought my dog for 1k.

[mncavylover]

It's expensive because they have to take care of the dogs before adoption--and that costs more than even 1k, I can assure you.

[Miss Piggy]

Originally Posted by Queen B

hi, Sorry to a dmit it though but 6 years ago I bought my dog for 1k.

Was it from a shelter?? Or a purebreed??

I know breeders sell pure bred dogs for about $800-$3,000. Even more sometimes actually...