i am interested in adopting a staffordshire terrier from a rescue organization. i was told the fee for the 4 month old puppy is $250 and does not include the spaying/neutering of the animal. the organization has included free training classes which i am not interested in. is this too much money or is it a reasonable cost?
Shibameze
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That's actually not uncommon for a rescue. And why are you unwilling to attend the training classes? Do you have a specific reason? But like I said, 250$ is not to way over priced for a puppy from a rescue? Most rescues do more behaivior testing and adoption fees are one of the few wys they make money.
CanineTruth
Our shelter charges $250 - but they include a spay/neuter. They don't offer free classes.
You're looking at another $50-$100 for a spay/neuter which would bring the total cost to $300-$350. Maybe even more. Not including initial supplies, of course. I would continue looking at rescues and shelters to see if they have any comparable dogs that DO come with spay/neuter for a comparable fee.
Has the rescue stated WHY they don't include a spay/neuter? Will they point you to a free or low cost clinic if you adopt from them?
But if this is the dog you want, then i would just pay the fee and take the free classes. Considering the cost of things these days, it isn't that high a price. And private rescue organizations often charge slightly more than shelters because they house the puppies in foster homes.
?
Generally, when adopting purebred dogs, the price will be higher depending on the shelter/rescue. I've seen it at $400-$500 before. It's a reasonable cost since free training classes are included(which I would suggest you take advantage of and attend). However it's kind of strange that spaying/neutering isn't included-most shelters/rescues I know spay/neuter the animal before placing it in it's new home or require that the new owners get the dog spayed/neutered in a certain time period after they bring the dog home. Is it up to date on it's vaccinations at least? If so, then I would say yes It's a reasonable price.
Anonymous
Our younger dog had an adoption fee of $250 that included spaying, but only because she was spayed at a kill-shelter before she was brought to the one we adopted her from AND because she wasn't a puppy.
I've seen some adoption fees go to $350 and higher for puppies because they are in higher demand, much higher ($500+) for purebreds from private, breed-specific rescue leagues. An older dog usually comes with a lower adoption fee.
So yes, the fee they are asking seems reasonable.
Check out the shelter. Find out if they are a 501(c)3 Non-profit. Most are. If they are, the adoption of an animal is usually issued a tax credit because it is handled as a donation to the shelter (especially in areas with strict laws about buying and selling animals).
Bentley
I am a foster parent for a rescue organization and we charge that with a puppy, but it includes spay/neuter. Training is a good trade off. I think it is reasonable.