Our organization carries out its mission in an economically disadvantaged rural area
in North Central West Virginia -- an area where jobs are hard to come by and residents
are more concerned with keeping a roof over their family's heads than with their
generosity to a non-profit humane organization. That is not to say that we don't receive support from our community -- we do. At least 10 months during the year we conduct various fund raising events, but just one critically sick or injured animal or a litter of sick puppies or kittens can completely deplete the funds brought in that month.
It was not easy to make the decision to request a "pull" fee for our animals. We are certainly aware of the expenses incurred by the wonderful folks who take our animals, and we are grateful to each and every person who has helped save our cats and dogs.
And we know, too, that no one is getting rich as a result of taking and placing our animals.
However, the hard fact is, our asking for a nominal "pull" fee to help cover routine animal care expenses is not an unreasonable request to make. The fee that's paid for an animal this week will be reinvested to help an animal that comes into the shelter next week.
We know that adoption fees are ultimately charged for rescued animals -- and that these fees are usually sufficient to cover expenses incurred for vetting the animal. A rescue organization couldn't continue to operate if they simply gave away every animal they took and vetted. Logically, our request for a nominal "pull" fee to recoup our expenses is no different than charging an adoption fee. The adoption fee allows a rescue group to continue to provide healthy, vetted pets to people in their area and a "pull" fee will help us continue to provide those pets.
Please try to keep this in mind when you are asked for a "pull" fee. The current fee has been set at $25 for an unspayed or unneutered dog from the Barbour County Animal Shelter. If the dog has been spayed or neutered at our expense, the fees are: $105 for a male, $115 for a female. This money won't make us rich -- it will only help us to help the next animal that comes into the shelter.
Linda Triplett
President
Animal Friends of Barbour County
