Last night we were giving the pups their second dose of DHLPPC vaccines (“puppy shots”) and it got me thinking about how much the Shelter invests in the animals they take in.
The Champaign County Humane Society (CCHS) has an excellent medical program. They have a full time veterinarian on staff who is a specialist in Shelter Medicine and is an excellent surgeon. CCHS has its own medical lab and surgical suite.
We assume the mothers and puppies we take into foster care have had no medical attention before their original owners turned them into the Shelter. It's rare that the mothers had any prenatal care, and most of them have never been vaccinated, dewormed, or treated for other parasites such as fleas. It falls to the Shelter to provide the care necessary to be sure they have healthy animals available for adoption.
Here’s a summary of the health care CCHS provides for every puppy they take in. I looked up the retail costs from the vet bills for our own animals over the last year.
| Retail Value | Times | Total | |
| Bordatella Vaccine | $15.00 | 2 | $30.00 |
| DHLPPC Vaccine | $17.50 | 2 | $35.00 |
| Fecal Flotation Test | $15.00 | 2 | $30.00 |
| Worming Medication | $15.00 | 2 | $30.00 |
| Spay Surgery | $175.00 | 1 | $175.00 |
| Microchip ID | $65.00 | 1 | $65.00 |
That comes to $365 per puppy. Add in food costs and you wind up with a bit over $380 per pup. If a puppy gets sick or needs treatment for fleas or something the cost goes even higher.
If you picked up a “free” puppy from someone giving them away in a parking lot or through the newspaper that’s what you would have to pay to get the same care CCHS provides. I didn’t account for “Office Call” charges, either.
The adoption fee for puppies five months old or younger is $100. You get a healthy, neutered companion and you have money left over to buy a crate and your first training classes.
2 comments:
Thank you for providing this invaluable illustration of the costs associated with sheltering animals for adoption. I suggest that you move or duplicate this information at the top of your blog where everyone can see it. It seems that many people still think that animals should be free, a belief that has outlived its time, and one that does a disservice to the fact that choosing companion animals is a lifetime commitment. You and Harriett are true advocates for animal welfare.
Thanks for the comment, Christine. We think it's important for people to realize the Shelter makes a large financial commitment in every animal they take in. The medical care these animals get is in no way compromised because they are homeless.
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