Dog Ownership has become elitist and there’s whining in here

[Scarlett]

4 hours ago, Quill said:

I don’t know if this is a COVID side-effect just like increase in prices for ground beef and chicken wings, and the fact you can’t buy a fishing pole anywhere, or if this is just the natural outcome I predicted a few years ago, but dog ownership is turning into something you can’t expect to do unless you have a nice cushion of disposable income. 

Sometimes when I’m daydreaming, I go to sites like Lancaster puppies or puppy spot and I look at a couple breeds I’m interested in: German Shepherds, Labs, Aussies and Border Collies usually. Sometimes I go to Petfinder but for real, guys, there is hardly ever any dog that isn’t a Pit mix or a hound mix. Yesterday I saw one non-Pit on there - it was a Collie or herding dog mix - and it was five hundred dollars. For a rescued, adult dog. Sometimes, they do have a non-Pit and they say ridiculous things to scare off anyone who might just think, “Hey, what a pretty dog!” Like the Belgian Malinois mix puppies I saw recently that said nobody would be approved who didn’t have “a forty-foot fence topped with razor wire and with coyote rollers installed”. Or like the Great Pyrenees I just looked up which they will not adopt out to anyone who has no experience with GPs. Basically, if you want a freakin Pit mix or a hound, you’re in great shape. But any desirable breed or mix, nevermind! 

On the puppy sale sites, almost all breeds I look at are well over a thousand dollars and many are more than that. Even mixed breeds that would have once been listed in the Pennysaver for free or for $10 good-faith payment are many hundreds or thousands of dollars. For, say, a Border Collie Mix. 

We also know someone who breeds Doodles (I don’t condone it but it’s not like he asks my permission). He sells them all over the east coast for over $2,000. He did just tell dh, though, that he’s moving the price to $3,000 because every puppy is spoken for before they are even born. He’s retired from his original blue-collar business and just does dogs now because he can live a nice life just on dog profits. 

Aaaaaannnnddd...I’ve only been talking about acquiring the dog to begin with, which says nothing about the other elitist-like assumptions that are made about how you will care for the dog going forward. 

I’m really just feeling a bit dubious about having a dog ever again. My best dog of my life was a little sheltie/Spitz mix named Nika, offered up Free to Good Home when I was 16. She was seriously just the best dog ever - smart, trainable as heck, calm disposition, peaceable manner and beautiful to boot. She lived to be 16yo and never had a health problem until the last year or two when she went blind, deaf and senile (? I guess? Is senile the wrong word?) I feel like, as a society, we said we don’t want backyard mutt accidental litters of puppies - and I am glad we’re not euthanizing homeless puppies like we used to - but I think we have the consequence now that you can’t just get a nice mixed-breed puppy from your piano teacher or the lady down the street anymore. 

And keep in mind that I’m saying the puppies on Lancaster puppies, which many people no doubt find dodgy as a source, are $2,000. So just forget any thoughts that I would rather go to a more legit source, particularly if we were getting a Lab or GSD, but I think, ummm, no; gonna be a no for me, to spend several thousand dollars for a puppy we would have to reserve before it is even born. 

If you read this whole pity party, thank you for listening. I’m feeling like I just don’t like what having a dog seems to have become and I’m sad about it. 

Aww. My little Pointer mix is here next to me and I paid zero for her. I wish you could find one like her. 

[Guest]

Quote

 do think OP must be living in a high-cost area. I'm in the Southwest, and a humane society adoption costs $80 (+ spaying/neutering, if the animal has not already had that done).

Yes. Central Maryland; DC Metropolitan region. 

[Guest]

1 minute ago, Scarlett said:

Aww. My little Pointer mix is here next to me and I paid zero for her. I wish you could find one like her. 

I did do a Petfinder search as if I lived in the midwest and I will say, there are lots of German Shepherds and Border Collie/Shepherding type dogs. I mean, just loads of them! I might have to wait until we’re free to move about the country again (so, 2021? 2022?) 😏 Maybe I’ll make a vacation of it. Lol

[Happy2BaMom]

I encourage you to look out of your area by whatever-mileage you can accommodate. When I lived in eastern WA State, our last rescue was $50 from a shelter near White River (this was 2-1/2 years ago). We found him on PetFinder. So perhaps be patient and keep looking?? (meant as an encouragement)

[Ausmumof3]

17 minutes ago, Quill said:

I did do a Petfinder search as if I lived in the midwest and I will say, there are lots of German Shepherds and Border Collie/Shepherding type dogs. I mean, just loads of them! I might have to wait until we’re free to move about the country again (so, 2021? 2022?) 😏 Maybe I’ll make a vacation of it. Lol

We do have a local animal transport company called animal ark here which deal with cross country relocations.  Is something like that a possibility?  Because I totally here you on needing a dog to love on!

[Ausmumof3]

Also from a current border collie owner be prepared to do a tonne of exercising!  We have a farm and we still have a path worn in the yard where he spends part of the time from the amount he runs!  Forgive me for poking my nose in if you already know this I just know some people underestimate it.  Most loving dog ever but prone to anxiety if they don’t get enough movement.

Edited July 12, 2020 by Ausmumof3

[Terabith]

8 minutes ago, Ausmumof3 said:

Also from a current border collie owner be prepared to do a tonne of exercising!  We have a farm and we still have a path worn in the yard where he spends part of the time from the amount he runs!  Forgive me for poking my nose in if you already know this I just know some people underestimate it.  Most loving dog ever but prone to anxiety if they don’t get enough movement.

Yes!  We had a Sheltie when I was a kid, and honestly, he was a sweetheart but definitely did not get enough exercise or mental stimulation, and he got incredibly anxious and barked constantly at squirrels.  It's honestly why I don't have a dog now.  

[Spryte]

Our shelters are full of pit mixes here, too.  
 

A few years ago, we lucked into an Aussie mix from a rescue for a $300 donation.  It’s the most I’ve ever spent adopting a dog.  It felt so strange!  Before that, we’d only had shelter and rescued (by us) dogs - a shelter Aussie (who lived to 16, my doggy soul mate), a rescued chihuahua (sweet girl, also lived to 16), a catahoula, and a schnoodle (11, and still with us).  But in recent years ... the choice seems to be a pit or a pit mix.

Quill, if you like Aussies, the rescue we used is in central VA.  A bit of a drive, but they might have some now.  I’ll try to find the name and come back and post it for you.  They only do Aussies.

[Selkie]

13 minutes ago, Ausmumof3 said:

Also from a current border collie owner be prepared to do a tonne of exercising!  We have a farm and we still have a path worn in the yard where he spends part of the time from the amount he runs!  Forgive me for poking my nose in if you already know this I just know some people underestimate it.  Most loving dog ever but prone to anxiety if they don’t get enough movement.

Agree with this so much. The herding breeds are one of my great loves. It drives me crazy when people get a border collie or Aussie for its looks without taking into account its personality  and needs.

[MercyA]

49 minutes ago, Quill said:

I did do a Petfinder search as if I lived in the midwest and I will say, there are lots of German Shepherds and Border Collie/Shepherding type dogs. I mean, just loads of them! I might have to wait until we’re free to move about the country again (so, 2021? 2022?) 😏 Maybe I’ll make a vacation of it. Lol

I think this is an awesome idea. My mom, DD, and I just took a day trip to Chicago to adopt a canary and she is a delight. 🙂

[Terabith]

2 hours ago, MercyA said:

I think this is an awesome idea. My mom, DD, and I just took a day trip to Chicago to adopt a canary and she is a delight. 🙂

We need a canary thread with pictures!

[Carrie12345]

10 hours ago, Ausmumof3 said:

Yeah it’s interesting.  When I think of mixed breed I tend to think of say a collie cross kelpie or a kelpie cross heeler.  Which are all working breeds with a similar set of traits.  Not so much doodles or crosses like that.  
 

I usually refer to my previous dogs as mixes because, even though the rescue wasn’t 100% sure, once they got full size we were pretty convinced that they were each crosses of just two breeds. Rottie/Lab and GSD/Lab. But I refer to my little guy as a Chi-mutt because the young kid who brought him to us mentioned Chihuahua, Pomeranian, Papillon, AND Maltese, while we see some sort of terrier in there.  He’s just a result of people too <insert choice of descriptor> to get their pets fixed.

9 hours ago, Terabith said:

Around here the only dogs that are available at the shelter are pits or Chihuahuas.  I'm not in the market for a dog, but every few months, I browse through the shelter web pages and facebook groups and look.  Once in awhile there will be a terrier or a hound mix.  But 95% of the time it's pits or Chihuahuas.  

It really does vary by area. My cousin does rescue work hundreds of miles away, and she gets overrun by breeds I didn’t even know existed. It’s worth expanding a search radius.

9 hours ago, Æthelthryth the Texan said:

I completely agree. And fwiw I don't think just because someone has a shingle on an AKC website that they are reputable. But perhaps AKC and the other controlling bodies should do more to make that point apparent. I don't think all BY breeders are bad, anymore than I think all showbreeders, or field breeders are good. You definitely need to do the homework. 

I “know someone” AkC registered who was eventually arrested for animal cruelty. Like, you could hear Sarah McLachlan crying.  But there are still breeds that I love that I would only ever get from a reputable breeder.  That doesn’t necessarily have to be registered, IMO. AKC and some of the others have done terrible things to many breed standards.

It’s not easy to sus out the good ones, that’s for sure.

[DawnM]

Our current puppy is the first puppy we paid anything for.  We wanted a specific kind of dog this time.

Our previous 3 dogs were free.  In fact, they came with kennels and toys and all puppy shots already given.

Thankfully they have been relatively healthy and we just haven't spent much on them other than routine shots and food.  We had a neighbor watch them when we went on vacation and it was not expensive.

[Guest]

8 hours ago, Margaret in CO said:

The other thing we have run into is that Big White Dog rescues won't let their dogs go to WORKING homes, which is a crime. Then the BWDs find themselves in trouble again, for being working dogs, and yes, barking. All. Night. Long, as they were bred to do. 

There are some really nice BCs in our area, but breeders will only sell them to working homes, as they know BCs need to work, not tear up your house from boredom!

I’ve seen something similar with a GSD that had lived on a farm and been an outside dog. But the shelter was only adopting him out as a house pet,  stating that he “wants to learn” how to be an inside dog. I think that just....dumb. 

[Guest]

11 minutes ago, DawnM said:

Our current puppy is the first puppy we paid anything for.  We wanted a specific kind of dog this time.

Our previous 3 dogs were free.  In fact, they came with kennels and toys and all puppy shots already given.

Thankfully they have been relatively healthy and we just haven't spent much on them other than routine shots and food.  We had a neighbor watch them when we went on vacation and it was not expensive.

That’s the kind of “dropped-in-my-lap” situation that I honestly would like to have happen. My MIL got an adult, but young Doberman this way and she was an absolute dream of a dog. (This was years ago; she couldn’t have a dog now.)  Next to our GSD, Sarge, who died four years ago, this was my dh’s favorite dog of his life. 

[Carrie12345]

10 minutes ago, Quill said:

I’ve seen something similar with a GSD that had lived on a farm and been an outside dog. But the shelter was only adopting him out as a house pet,  stating that he “wants to learn” how to be an inside dog. I think that just....dumb. 

I 100% agree that there have to be some lifestyle considerations.  I don’t have any experience with working dogs born to be working dogs, but I am very passionately anti-outdoor-cats... except I also believe in the need for barn cats. And, frankly, with the way my cat acts, I sometimes wish I might have a barn so any future cats would be barn cats!!!
The erosion of true country life has played a big part there.

[G5052]

Yes, we got our first dog ever several years ago, and I was indeed shocked. Youngest wanted a doodle, and I couldn't afford one AT ALL. The shelters of course didn't have any. 

We ended up with a beagle mix and absolutely adore her. No history at all, but she was house trained and loves people. Training her to basic commands and to a leash took awhile, but her personality made up for it. They required a donation to the rescue of several hundred dollars which is the norm here.

Not long ago a similar beagle mix came up in my Facebook feed from the same shelter, and we were so tempted to get another one. One dog is plenty for us though. 

[ktgrok]

13 hours ago, Corraleno said:

When you adopt from a rescue, though, you aren't really "buying" a dog, you're donating towards the expenses of rescuing, vetting, spay/neutering, etc., all the animals they save. So comparing the "price" of a shelter pet to a purebred, as if shelters are charging an outrageous price for a low-quality "used" product, misses the point of working with a rescue. 

 

13 hours ago, Quill said:

Right but $500? For an adult, mixed breed rescue? That seems to me like what it probably is, is they bloody well know you can get nothing but a Pitt mix or a hound. Also, I’m not prepared to help a dog with...let’s say, bad side-effects, from being improperly raised to this point. 

 

The fees will also vary based on what vet care costs in your area. To spay a dog here is going to be about $300, plus add in vaccines, and yeah, the $400 I paid to the Golden Retriever Rescue for our Doodle mix suddenly seems more reasonable. That $400 helps spay/neuter dogs that come in , treat them for the health conditions they often have, pays for the food and heartworm meds and heartworm testing that they get while fostered , etc. Now, the one I adopt maybe didn't need $400 in vet care/food/meds....maybe the one I adopted only needed $150 worth, but some of the other ones they rescue may end up needing $1,000 in vet care, so it all averages out. 

The reason there are not other breeds at the shelter is the rescue groups pull them and put them in foster care, which means the shelters don't have to euthanize so many dogs for space reasons.And the fees are of course lower at the shelter, but you don't have as much info on the dog because it wasn't in a foster situation, hasn't had people already working on training it, etc. 

For breeds less popular than a golden, you can find rescue dogs here for about $200 from private rescues. 

As for your other bit, about say, Great Pyrenees requiring you to have breed experience, there are VERY good reasons for that. They can be dangerous dogs in the wrong situation, and the rescue can't afford to be the cause of someone being hurt by the dog, nor is it financially feasible for them to have dogs coming back into the rescue regularly because they were adopted out to the wrong type of home and are returned. 

[Carrie12345]

One thing I want to point out about affordability... that may not be popular...

I have chosen multiple times to NOT pay 4-figures for a pet, and I think that’s a perfectly rational decision. But I do think there have to be other considerations when the issue is affordability.

I’m not one to sink thousands of dollars into life extending care for things like cancer, but emergency vet bills can be HUGE. I’ve paid many hundreds of dollars for a dehydrated pup on a Saturday night, as well as for overnight observation for suspected seizures. My cat had emergency surgery when his tail got snipped by a door hinge. He’s also been on thyroid meds for over a year, which aren’t expensive on their own, but we spent a lot on testing and check ups to get to the right dosage.  My previous cat had big bills for kidney failure even though we only chose palative care instead of daily IV treatments. We’ve only groomed our own dogs, but I’ll need a groomer for my purse dog when dd eventually moves out, because he isn’t as patient with me.  I’ve been in the waiting room when people have been quoted $2k+ for emergency treatments.  We’ve currently delayed dental treatments for both the dog and the cat because that’s going to be huge, but I really have to get on that.

We’re also those people who pay extra for private cremation when our pets die, though we’ve never gone as far as having necklaces or paperweights made!

Now, we never had any surprise large bills with some of our animals, but it is an ever present possibility.  That really needs to be considered when it comes to affordability. Across 6 pets, we’ve absolutely spent $10,000 or more, and that’s with humane euthanasia for 4 of them, one that could still live for close to another decade, and another that will probably defy lifespan expectations out of spite.  If we simply didn’t have the ability to commit large chunks of money to them, some of them would have suffered terribly or we would have had to give them up.

[Scarlett]

34 minutes ago, Ktgrok said:

 

 

The fees will also vary based on what vet care costs in your area. To spay a dog here is going to be about $300, plus add in vaccines, and yeah, the $400 I paid to the Golden Retriever Rescue for our Doodle mix suddenly seems more reasonable. That $400 helps spay/neuter dogs that come in , treat them for the health conditions they often have, pays for the food and heartworm meds and heartworm testing that they get while fostered , etc. Now, the one I adopt maybe didn't need $400 in vet care/food/meds....maybe the one I adopted only needed $150 worth, but some of the other ones they rescue may end up needing $1,000 in vet care, so it all averages out. 

The reason there are not other breeds at the shelter is the rescue groups pull them and put them in foster care, which means the shelters don't have to euthanize so many dogs for space reasons.And the fees are of course lower at the shelter, but you don't have as much info on the dog because it wasn't in a foster situation, hasn't had people already working on training it, etc. 

For breeds less popular than a golden, you can find rescue dogs here for about $200 from private rescues. 

As for your other bit, about say, Great Pyrenees requiring you to have breed experience, there are VERY good reasons for that. They can be dangerous dogs in the wrong situation, and the rescue can't afford to be the cause of someone being hurt by the dog, nor is it financially feasible for them to have dogs coming back into the rescue regularly because they were adopted out to the wrong type of home and are returned. 

To the bolded that has definitely been my experience on the Pointer sight I am on.  When someone has a dog they need to rehome, there are dozens of people wanting it but there is also a strong push to surrender the dog to a rescue to ensure it goes to a proper home.  And if one shows up in a shelter  anywhere there is a mad scramble for someone to go get it immediately to surrender to a rescue.  

[Carrie12345]

20 minutes ago, Æthelthryth the Texan said:

For sure. AKC registration only means the “parents” were registered and someone was smart enough to fill out a form and send in $40 to register the puppies if the breeder gave them the option to do so.
 

It takes work to dig past that. You have to find who to ask, but before that, you have to know what you need to ask. 

Definitely. Although I should add that they were active show people with multiple Champions, and many people supporting them through previous lawsuits.  Still had dirty secrets in their basement. Literally. It’s scary what can be faked.

[Scarlett]

7 minutes ago, Carrie12345 said:

One thing I want to point out about affordability... that may not be popular...

I have chosen multiple times to NOT pay 4-figures for a pet, and I think that’s a perfectly rational decision. But I do think there have to be other considerations when the issue is affordability.

I’m not one to sink thousands of dollars into life extending care for things like cancer, but emergency vet bills can be HUGE. I’ve paid many hundreds of dollars for a dehydrated pup on a Saturday night, as well as for overnight observation for suspected seizures. My cat had emergency surgery when his tail got snipped by a door hinge. He’s also been on thyroid meds for over a year, which aren’t expensive on their own, but we spent a lot on testing and check ups to get to the right dosage.  My previous cat had big bills for kidney failure even though we only chose palative care instead of daily IV treatments. We’ve only groomed our own dogs, but I’ll need a groomer for my purse dog when dd eventually moves out, because he isn’t as patient with me.  I’ve been in the waiting room when people have been quoted $2k+ for emergency treatments.  We’ve currently delayed dental treatments for both the dog and the cat because that’s going to be huge, but I really have to get on that.

We’re also those people who pay extra for private cremation when our pets die, though we’ve never gone as far as having necklaces or paperweights made!

Now, we never had any surprise large bills with some of our animals, but it is an ever present possibility.  That really needs to be considered when it comes to affordability. Across 6 pets, we’ve absolutely spent $10,000 or more, and that’s with humane euthanasia for 4 of them, one that could still live for close to another decade, and another that will probably defy lifespan expectations out of spite.  If we simply didn’t have the ability to commit large chunks of money to them, some of them would have suffered terribly or we would have had to give them up.

I often do wonder how so many people can afford to have so many pets at one time.  There are so many things that we spend money on for the two that we have.  Things that did not even exist when I was a kid.  So to that point Quill is right.....it has turned rather elitist, because if you don’t do all of these things you are a bad pet owner.  

[BlsdMama]

14 hours ago, Quill said:

I don’t know if this is a COVID side-effect just like increase in prices for ground beef and chicken wings, and the fact you can’t buy a fishing pole anywhere, or if this is just the natural outcome I predicted a few years ago, but dog ownership is turning into something you can’t expect to do unless you have a nice cushion of disposable income. 

Sometimes when I’m daydreaming, I go to sites like Lancaster puppies or puppy spot and I look at a couple breeds I’m interested in: German Shepherds, Labs, Aussies and Border Collies usually. Sometimes I go to Petfinder but for real, guys, there is hardly ever any dog that isn’t a Pit mix or a hound mix. Yesterday I saw one non-Pit on there - it was a Collie or herding dog mix - and it was five hundred dollars. For a rescued, adult dog. Sometimes, they do have a non-Pit and they say ridiculous things to scare off anyone who might just think, “Hey, what a pretty dog!” Like the Belgian Malinois mix puppies I saw recently that said nobody would be approved who didn’t have “a forty-foot fence topped with razor wire and with coyote rollers installed”. Or like the Great Pyrenees I just looked up which they will not adopt out to anyone who has no experience with GPs. Basically, if you want a freakin Pit mix or a hound, you’re in great shape. But any desirable breed or mix, nevermind! 

On the puppy sale sites, almost all breeds I look at are well over a thousand dollars and many are more than that. Even mixed breeds that would have once been listed in the Pennysaver for free or for $10 good-faith payment are many hundreds or thousands of dollars. For, say, a Border Collie Mix. 

We also know someone who breeds Doodles (I don’t condone it but it’s not like he asks my permission). He sells them all over the east coast for over $2,000. He did just tell dh, though, that he’s moving the price to $3,000 because every puppy is spoken for before they are even born. He’s retired from his original blue-collar business and just does dogs now because he can live a nice life just on dog profits. 

Aaaaaannnnddd...I’ve only been talking about acquiring the dog to begin with, which says nothing about the other elitist-like assumptions that are made about how you will care for the dog going forward. 

I’m really just feeling a bit dubious about having a dog ever again. My best dog of my life was a little sheltie/Spitz mix named Nika, offered up Free to Good Home when I was 16. She was seriously just the best dog ever - smart, trainable as heck, calm disposition, peaceable manner and beautiful to boot. She lived to be 16yo and never had a health problem until the last year or two when she went blind, deaf and senile (? I guess? Is senile the wrong word?) I feel like, as a society, we said we don’t want backyard mutt accidental litters of puppies - and I am glad we’re not euthanizing homeless puppies like we used to - but I think we have the consequence now that you can’t just get a nice mixed-breed puppy from your piano teacher or the lady down the street anymore. 

And keep in mind that I’m saying the puppies on Lancaster puppies, which many people no doubt find dodgy as a source, are $2,000. So just forget any thoughts that I would rather go to a more legit source, particularly if we were getting a Lab or GSD, but I think, ummm, no; gonna be a no for me, to spend several thousand dollars for a puppy we would have to reserve before it is even born. 

If you read this whole pity party, thank you for listening. I’m feeling like I just don’t like what having a dog seems to have become and I’m sad about it. 

We bought our GSD eleven years ago and he was $1200.  6 years ago we bought a czech line GSD with great breeding for $1500.  That was comparative.  But I'm curious what the breeder's going rate is now... To me, both of those were reasonable because hips of parents, grandparents, etc., had been x-rayed. They were carefully matches and producing beautiful dogs that wouldn't have to suffer displaysia.  But I really wonder what costs people have tied into so many of these crossbreeds, etc., where it seems as though they don't have AKC registration, they don't have a lot of medical data gathered on parents, etc.  It's crazy to charge $3k for a dog that you have no investment in? Sigh.  I've been looking at dogs and do not want a puppy.  Like you, I'm flabbergasted to see $500 rehome fees on an 8 year old GSD! 

[Selkie]

4 minutes ago, Scarlett said:

I often do wonder how so many people can afford to have so many pets at one time.  There are so many things that we spend money on for the two that we have.  Things that did not even exist when I was a kid.  So to that point Quill is right.....it has turned rather elitist, because if you don’t do all of these things you are a bad pet owner.  

I don't see it as elitist, but that there is more awareness now of what being a responsible pet owner entails. That's a good thing.

[Scarlett]

10 minutes ago, Æthelthryth the Texan said:

Honestly you can have the same conversations in the US about pets as people do about people. There is a quality over quantity when it comes to animal life as well. Some people might think it in humane to put a 9 year old dog through chemo and radiation....others might think you shouldn’t be allowed to own the dog if you wouldn’t be willing to do that.
 

You mainly need to be on the same page as your spouse and find a vet who will be on the same page with you more than worrying about what anyone else thinks, imo. 

Yes, thankfully Dh and I are, and we have a great vet.

7 minutes ago, Selkie said:

I don't see it as elitist, but that there is more awareness now of what being a responsible pet owner entails. That's a good thing.

I believe in being responsible, but some things have become extreme. And soooooo many products and services have been created which I guess is just the way our world works.  

[KungFuPanda]

I think it’s going to be artificially expensive now. Everyone who ever thought of getting a dog “someday” did it NOW and supply is low. (Same for chickens, freezers, and kayaks 🤣)  That’s great for the dogs, but harder for people who want one. I predict there will be a big wave of adoptable dogs when the world returns to work and people no longer have the time or interest in caring for them. Right now none of these dogs have experienced separation anxiety. When they do it’ll get real interesting. 

Edited July 12, 2020 by KungFuPanda

[Selkie]

11 minutes ago, Scarlett said:

Yes, thankfully Dh and I are, and we have a great vet.

I believe in being responsible, but some things have become extreme. And soooooo many products and services have been created which I guess is just the way our world works.  

For sure, some people do go over the top spending money on their dogs. But I was talking about things that are a standard part of dog care now, but either didn't exist or weren't seen as important years ago. Things like spaying and neutering, heartworm testing and prevention, certain vaccines (Lyme and lepto, for instance), microchipping, and dental care. 

[cintinative]

Our shelters here do tend to have more of the pit bulls, etc. but there are very large organizations here with volunteers that foster dogs and you can adopt from them. We adopted our guy at age 1 for about $120 from a group here called Stray Animal Adoption Program. He was fostered for about a month before he came home with us. Do you know if those types of organizations exist in your area, OP?  Our group has lots of mix dogs but very rarely any purebreed. The advantage of the fostering is that you really get an idea of the dog's personality and whether they get along with other dogs, kids, cats, etc. Also the organization is committed to a good fit so if it doesn't work out they take back any dog a person cannot keep and rehome the dog.  

[Pawz4me]

1 hour ago, Ktgrok said:

 

The reason there are not other breeds at the shelter is the rescue groups pull them and put them in foster care, which means the shelters don't have to euthanize so many dogs for space reasons.And the fees are of course lower at the shelter, but you don't have as much info on the dog because it wasn't in a foster situation, hasn't had people already working on training it, etc.

True.

The rescue group I currently foster for works exclusively with our county animal shelter. The lady who is the foster coordinator for the rescue is pretty much a full time volunteer at the shelter, so she sees all the dogs up close and personal and evaluates them. She pulls ones who are frightened out of their minds in the shelter environment (tends to be a lot of the smaller dogs, but not exclusively so) and dogs who need more vet care beyond vaccines and s/n. Many of the dogs they pull are very desirable pets, but nobody who was only looking at the shelter website or Petfinder would ever see them. They'd need to follow the rescue on Facebook. Many of the more desirable ones never even make it to the rescue's website to be listed for adoption--they're scooped up by people who are willing to foster and see if the dog is a good fit. Foster-to-adopt with a good rescue group is IMO the way to go for anyone looking for a dog. It's work, but it's rewarding, and the only expense a foster usually has is food/treats. And some rescues will provide that.

 

[Granny_Weatherwax]

13 hours ago, Ausmumof3 said:

I guess the good news of shelters never having the breed of dog you want is that they are mostly working out well in the homes they go to!  

Not necessarily. I have been looking for a malinois or a belgian shepherd.  They are almost impossible to find in shelters due to the number of rescue groups who constantly monitor shelter intake.  Also, many shelters contact malinois rescue groups as soon as they receive a mal/mal mix.

I belong to a couple of malinois rescue sites and the constant communication and movement of dogs is astounding. There are multiple backyard breeders in the south with lots of mals/mal mixes in Florida and Texas. As soon as these dogs show up in a shelter there is a network that goes into action. Someone goes to evaluate and pull the dog which is then taken to a foster. The majority of dogs are adopted straight out of the foster home to people on the rescue sites. It's a Dog Underground railroad - people meet along the highway and transfer the dog for certain segments until it reaches it's new destination and home.

It is my understanding that many breeds have similar rescue organizations.

Edited July 12, 2020 by The Accidental Coach

[Granny_Weatherwax]

Along the affordability line - 

I think the cost of dog adoption is also influenced by how many ill and injured dogs the rescue groups try to save. On the sites I follow, some of the dogs have congenital defects, have been hit by cars and have multiple internal injuries, or have been physically abused (the stories are heartbreaking). In years past, I think these dogs would have been euthanized. Now, the rescues go to great lengths to save the dogs; many of which will require longterm vet care and medications. The initial costs are exorbitant (multiple thousands). There are Chewy and Amazon accounts created for the dogs so individuals can donate items. One puppy's vet bills were almost $10,000 and the rescue was constantly asking for donations in order to maintain care. The puppy ended up dying but those vet bills still had to be paid.

I love a good rescue story with a happy ending but should we try to save every puppy and dog no matter the expense? I don't know.

[hjffkj]

1 hour ago, Scarlett said:

I often do wonder how so many people can afford to have so many pets at one time.  There are so many things that we spend money on for the two that we have.  Things that did not even exist when I was a kid.  So to that point Quill is right.....it has turned rather elitist, because if you don’t do all of these things you are a bad pet owner.  

 

I simply do not believe that.  Take dental work for example.  I would never pay for dental work for a dog unless they had an abscess or something was wrong.  I don't believe most dogs need regular cleanings. That does not make me a bad pet owner.  I actually think the degree to which some people go to keep their animals  alive is selfish, cruel and not good pet ownership. 

[hjffkj]

6 minutes ago, The Accidental Coach said:

Along the affordability line - 

I think the cost of dog adoption is also influenced by how many ill and injured dogs the rescue groups try to save. On the sites I follow, some of the dogs have congenital defects, have been hit by cars and have multiple internal injuries, or have been physically abused (the stories are heartbreaking). In years past, I think these dogs would have been euthanized. Now, the rescues go to great lengths to save the dogs; many of which will require longterm vet care and medications. The initial costs are exorbitant (multiple thousands). There are Chewy and Amazon accounts created for the dogs so individuals can donate items. One puppy's vet bills were almost $10,000 and the rescue was constantly asking for donations in order to maintain care. The puppy ended up dying but those vet bills still had to be paid.

I love a good rescue story with a happy ending but should we try to save every puppy and dog no matter the expense? I don't know.

 

No, but it is hard to make the decision of when is an animal too sick or too injured for euthanasia to be the humane option.

[stephanier.1765]

Occasionally since the loss of our pup, I browse the local shelter to peek at the dogs and daydream. Mostly like the OP, it is filled with pits, pit mixes, hounds and hound mixes. Zero small dogs. Because of this thread, I decided to take a look and I'm shocked that they presently have mutts. Just your regular, run of the mill mutts and in various sizes too. I wish I could get DH to say yes to a dog because there were a couple I would love to see.

ETA: I checked adoption prices. Dogs under 30 lbs or under 6 months are $125. Those over 30 lbs or over 6 months are $50.

Edited July 12, 2020 by stephanier.1765

[Katy]

I think Covid may have exacerbated the problem but it was inevitable when it became widespread rather than just a joke for people to choose to have less or no children and instead treat dogs like babies.

I don't mean people with fertility issues that can't have kids and for whatever reason can't or won't adopt.  I mean it's practically normal these days to baby a dog.  I have a friend who fosters dogs for one of those rescues that saves them at ALL costs.  The rescue fees are well over $500 for every dog, for a small city in the midwest.  But these aren't healthy adoptable dogs.  They're "rescuing" dogs who need advanced and long term medical treatments.  One dog she had - that she kept until put down earlier this year, went through 5 advanced medical treatments I wouldn't choose to put a dog through.  I mean 3 rounds of different kinds of cancer and some bone breaks that required surgery because of side effects of chemo.  This is just cruel, IMO.  Let the animal live until their quality of life is gone and then put them down, but don't put a dog through that many rounds of chemo.  Not that I would ever tell my friend that.

I love my pets but they're pets.  They aren't children.  And working farm dogs are a whole different world.  I get that people who've never been to a farm don't understand the concept that a dog's purpose in life could be to defend a flock, even with coyotes, wolves, bears, and mountain lions around.  But that is what some of them were bred for.

[Lady Florida.]

I"m shocked at the cost of adoption some of you would have to pay. Our local no-kill shelter charges $30 for adult dogs and $100 for puppies.That includes spay/neuter, s heartworm test, the appropriate vaccinations for its age, worming, and a microchip!  https://spcabrevard.com/adoption-information/

That said, I just looked at their available dogs and most are pits or pit mixes. There's one that looks like a Shepherd mix and one that's a Florida Black Mouth Cur. That last one is the only one that actually named a breed. All the mixes just say mix/mix but don't tell you what's in the mix. Pits are great dogs. My brother had two and the one he had when my niece was little was fantastic with her. Dss just had to have his put down and even though they had her before the grandkids came along those kids were her babies and she looked out for them. Both pits were extremely gentle with "their" babies. That's a subject for a whole other thread but I just had to say all of the pits I've known (not just those three) have been great dogs. 

Petfinder is crazy! My niece (the one above) and her family wanted to get a puppy after they had to put their old black Lab down. She said you have to sit there and be ready to click when you see the dog you want. There's so much competition even for mixed breeds. They did end up with a 12 week old cattle dog mix and paid $350 for him - all current shots included but he hadn't yet been neutered so they had to have that done themselves. 

If we get another dog it's going to be a small dog. That leaves out the shelter because as I said, they're all pits or pit mixes. As much as I like them, I don't want a dog that size in our new small house. And it wouldn't be a good place for a large dog anyway. We're going to wait about a year but I already think I'm going to have trouble finding a dog. We don't care about a particular breed and we probably want one at least a year old (we've BTDT with puppies) but as others said, "free to a good home" doesn't seem to be a thing anymore. 

[Matryoshka]

8 minutes ago, Lady Florida. said:

I"m shocked at the cost of adoption some of you would have to pay. Our local no-kill shelter charges $30 for adult dogs and $100 for puppies.That includes spay/neuter, s heartworm test, the appropriate vaccinations for its age, worming, and a microchip!  https://spcabrevard.com/adoption-information/

I think it might be easier in the south, where apparently there are much laxer leash laws, so puppies just happen.

Here, you never, ever see a single stray dog.  Or an unleashed dog that's not in a yard with an electronic or actual fence.  Never.  So, no accidental puppies, not a lot of dogs for the shelter except... pit mixes.  And chihuahua mixes, lol.  It's funny how the pit mixes seem to be universal, but the secondary dog type seems to be local.  No hounds here.

We did manage to get an adult dog from a rescue for a few hundred.  It, of course, like virtually all the rescue dogs here, was transported here from the south - North Carolina in our dog's case.

And yeah, there's the problem that you have to commit to all kinds of things and be the 'right' kind of family.  Fortunately we already had no small kids and didn't plan to let the dog out in the yard unless leashed and accompanied by us (small dog, coyote food).

Edited July 12, 2020 by Matryoshka

[Guest]

2 hours ago, Carrie12345 said:

Now, we never had any surprise large bills with some of our animals, but it is an ever present possibility.  That really needs to be considered when it comes to affordability. Across 6 pets, we’ve absolutely spent $10,000 or more, and that’s with humane euthanasia for 4 of them, one that could still live for close to another decade, and another that will probably defy lifespan expectations out of spite.  If we simply didn’t have the ability to commit large chunks of money to them, some of them would have suffered terribly or we would have had to give them up.

Yes, I pointed this out to my dd when our cat was dying of kidney disease. I spent several thousand dollars just keeping him alive and fairly comfortable for a few months, mainly because I wanted dd, who was at college, to be able to spend time with him before he was euthanized. I said something like, “See, this is a cost your friends who are getting cats and dogs are not prepared to make should it be necessary...just think of how that would be.” 

[Guest]

13 hours ago, RootAnn said:

This is another regional thing. My DH got a nice one at the end of June for DS.

Fascinating! Dh just tried to replace a fishing pole around here. There were zero. He remarked upon it to another man in the store. He confirmed an inability to buy his son a fishing pole since June. 

Also, dh tried to get two more kayaks. (We have two currently, but one is a child’s and is not very good.) same story. No such thing as a new kayak for sale around here. The sales person confirmed that as well. 

[Guest]

1 minute ago, Æthelthryth the Texan said:

This can be a dangerous path to go down though imo, as "necessary" can be very subject to interpretation and debate. At that point, if you should only in good conscious be allowed to own an animal if you have unlimited resources to spend until there are no options left to take, then only the wealthier will own pets, not to mention those who never draw a line of when to quit. If there's an option, they'll drag out the extension cord, so to speak to keep puppy or kitty alive. If you make less than $300k a year does that mean you shouldn't be able to own a dog if the vet because at some point it might need care? Or conversely, if you have a family making 50k a year, should they not be able to adopt a dog because they aren't willing to go into 10k worth of debt on vet treatments? 

I completely agree, but that’s part of the expectation I have found, which is why I say it seems to be elitist. I am sure some of that is regional, but I do think if you live in a HCOL area, the vets seem to think you have endless bankroll for your sick pets. 

Wrt my words of warning to my dd, I was trying to help her see that dogs and cats can be very problematic for her age group, although honestly, she sees this pretty vividly without my help. Her bf’s brother has to pay butt-loads of “Pet rent,” in addition to a pet deposit, in an already expensive place to live. Simply because he had the heart to adopt a 70lb. mutt and is not yet at the family-home-in-the-suburbs part of life. 

[KungFuPanda]

Maybe part of it is we just have higher social standards for pet care now. Some people think they can afford a pet because they can buy one but are shocked if they need vet care beyond immunizations or if the cheapest food doesn’t agree with them. Some people grew up in places and times when it was ok for your dog to LIVE in a doghouse outside. That’s not even legal in some places. Also,some people live in areas where you can’t offer free or cheap dogs because bad people will do bad things to them. 
 

I was the happy owner of a greyhound mix for 11 years. He was definitely weird, but not at all in an unbearable or destructive way. He slept ALL the time. It was like having a cat. He didn’t require long regular walks to prevent destructive behavior. He house trained easily and early. He was the perfect combination of a dog that could walk forever if you feel like it but was fine watching tv all day if you didn’t. While technically a tall, large dog, he was so slight that he curled into a tiny ball. He never took up more than one couch cushion. 🤣 I miss that weirdo. 
 

So, maybe give some of those hounds a chance. 

Edited July 12, 2020 by KungFuPanda

[Jean in Newcastle]

1 hour ago, hjffkj said:

 

I simply do not believe that.  Take dental work for example.  I would never pay for dental work for a dog unless they had an abscess or something was wrong.  I don't believe most dogs need regular cleanings. That does not make me a bad pet owner.  I actually think the degree to which some people go to keep their animals  alive is selfish, cruel and not good pet ownership. 

To add my two cents to this.
 

Animal bills can be managed somewhat by doing your homework. You can learn how to find a healthy dog. (Within reason- obviously some potential problems like hip issues would require an x-ray which would add to the front end costs. And accidents and even illness can come out of the blue. ).
 

You can learn how to groom your own dog or can choose a breed that doesn’t need special grooming.  

You can train the dog from the start. You can give it enough exercise in a safe environment. You can find food that meets needs and heads off some conditions through good nutrition. I avoid a lot of expensive dental work with raw bones.

I even give my own vaccinations (except for rabies which must be given by a vet). My vet knows me well and we work together to keep costs lower. He’s honest about laying out treatment plans. He’s even told me how to treat certain conditions with Chinese herbs that cost a lot less than the standard Western vet meds. When Libby was hit by a car (improperly fenced dog park) the emergency vet was incredibly expensive. But once they had her stabilized I couldn’t afford the $200 a day that it would cost. So I asked them to train me to care for her. I had to flip her every three hours (even during the night). I made a sling to help her potty. I tube fed and watered her. I administered all meds.  Now obviously we could have put her down but we decided that we would do what we could to a certain date a month out and if her quality of life hadn’t progressed to a certain minimum then we would let her go. She ended up being a happy healthy (albeit partially paralyzed) dog who lived for eight or so more years. 

Edited July 12, 2020 by Jean in Newcastle
stupid autocorrect

[Janeway]

17 hours ago, Quill said:

I don’t know if this is a COVID side-effect just like increase in prices for ground beef and chicken wings, and the fact you can’t buy a fishing pole anywhere, or if this is just the natural outcome I predicted a few years ago, but dog ownership is turning into something you can’t expect to do unless you have a nice cushion of disposable income. 

Sometimes when I’m daydreaming, I go to sites like Lancaster puppies or puppy spot and I look at a couple breeds I’m interested in: German Shepherds, Labs, Aussies and Border Collies usually. Sometimes I go to Petfinder but for real, guys, there is hardly ever any dog that isn’t a Pit mix or a hound mix. Yesterday I saw one non-Pit on there - it was a Collie or herding dog mix - and it was five hundred dollars. For a rescued, adult dog. Sometimes, they do have a non-Pit and they say ridiculous things to scare off anyone who might just think, “Hey, what a pretty dog!” Like the Belgian Malinois mix puppies I saw recently that said nobody would be approved who didn’t have “a forty-foot fence topped with razor wire and with coyote rollers installed”. Or like the Great Pyrenees I just looked up which they will not adopt out to anyone who has no experience with GPs. Basically, if you want a freakin Pit mix or a hound, you’re in great shape. But any desirable breed or mix, nevermind! 

On the puppy sale sites, almost all breeds I look at are well over a thousand dollars and many are more than that. Even mixed breeds that would have once been listed in the Pennysaver for free or for $10 good-faith payment are many hundreds or thousands of dollars. For, say, a Border Collie Mix. 

We also know someone who breeds Doodles (I don’t condone it but it’s not like he asks my permission). He sells them all over the east coast for over $2,000. He did just tell dh, though, that he’s moving the price to $3,000 because every puppy is spoken for before they are even born. He’s retired from his original blue-collar business and just does dogs now because he can live a nice life just on dog profits. 

Aaaaaannnnddd...I’ve only been talking about acquiring the dog to begin with, which says nothing about the other elitist-like assumptions that are made about how you will care for the dog going forward. 

I’m really just feeling a bit dubious about having a dog ever again. My best dog of my life was a little sheltie/Spitz mix named Nika, offered up Free to Good Home when I was 16. She was seriously just the best dog ever - smart, trainable as heck, calm disposition, peaceable manner and beautiful to boot. She lived to be 16yo and never had a health problem until the last year or two when she went blind, deaf and senile (? I guess? Is senile the wrong word?) I feel like, as a society, we said we don’t want backyard mutt accidental litters of puppies - and I am glad we’re not euthanizing homeless puppies like we used to - but I think we have the consequence now that you can’t just get a nice mixed-breed puppy from your piano teacher or the lady down the street anymore. 

And keep in mind that I’m saying the puppies on Lancaster puppies, which many people no doubt find dodgy as a source, are $2,000. So just forget any thoughts that I would rather go to a more legit source, particularly if we were getting a Lab or GSD, but I think, ummm, no; gonna be a no for me, to spend several thousand dollars for a puppy we would have to reserve before it is even born. 

If you read this whole pity party, thank you for listening. I’m feeling like I just don’t like what having a dog seems to have become and I’m sad about it. 

It has been years coming for us to get a dog. And I wanted a King Charles Spaniel or a Boston Terrier. Recently, I thought a Beagle would be nice. I love Shelties! But when I looked at prices, as I finally came around to it being time to get a dog, everyone was out! And even if they were not, they were charging insane prices. 

[mommyoffive]

17 hours ago, Selkie said:

Here in the midwest, there is a great variety of dogs at the shelters. Almost all of them get transported up from overloaded southern shelters. Lots of purebreds and adorable mixed breeds. The adoption fees are around $200 for younger dogs and $100-150 for older dogs.

Yep that is my experience too in midwest.   We adopted our purebred weimaraner 9 year old dog at the shelter 2 years ago.  Her purebred husband was there too.  There are not lots of pits as t the shelter.   Some, but there are tons of other breeds.   There are puppies a lot too.  Of all breeds.   They go fast and are 300 or so.  Adult older dogs are 100ish. That includes microchip, shots, fixing.   They were pretty bare in April or so.  But some shelters had some at some shelters.   I look every day.   Lots of time the have free dogs or cats because someone has paid the adoption fee.

Having a dog is not elite on my hood.   Almost everyone on my street has one or more dogs and I am in a normal neighborhood. 

[Tap]

I am living this right now. I have been looking for a dog but they are sooooo expensive in our area. Like you, the rescues are $400+ from the shelter, and it is full of terrier and pits. I  need a curly coat dog and poodle breeds are $2000+.

I won't adopt a dog unless I have a substantial fund for it so it took me a while to save a couple thousand for that. I don't want to get into a situation where they need vet care and I am torn on saving the pup, or paying for the treatment. (I have seen too many people in this situation). Trying to save another $2000 for the dog itself, is going to take me a few years (I'm only working part time due to Covid). 

I almost got to adopt a rehomed dog recently, but the family changed their mind at the last minute. 😞  

As a side note, caring for a pet in our area is also more expensive.  A spay/neuter is $250. My daughter, who just a year later, now lives in Nevada, just paid $50 at a reputable vet to have the same dog neutered. That is is the going price in her area. Grooming, regular vet care and even pet supplies are way, way cheaper too.   This is why I want to have a substantial fund for care. It is very expensive to get care in our area, even at strip mall style vets. Vet care is pretty much the same price as human care here. 

Edited July 12, 2020 by Tap

[Scarlett]

1 hour ago, hjffkj said:

 

I simply do not believe that.  Take dental work for example.  I would never pay for dental work for a dog unless they had an abscess or something was wrong.  I don't believe most dogs need regular cleanings. That does not make me a bad pet owner.  I actually think the degree to which some people go to keep their animals  alive is selfish, cruel and not good pet ownership. 

Oh me too, I was just saying what I hear a lot, not what I believe.  I don’t do dental cleanings for pets either.  And when I see some of these  cases where animals are so badly injured and the extreme measures taken to save them....I always think there is no way I would do that.  And I adore my pets.  I can still cry over the ones I have lost. But common sense needs to prevail. 

[Pawz4me]

1 hour ago, Lady Florida. said:

If we get another dog it's going to be a small dog. That leaves out the shelter because as I said, they're all pits or pit mixes. As much as I like them, I don't want a dog that size in our new small house. And it wouldn't be a good place for a large dog anyway. We're going to wait about a year but I already think I'm going to have trouble finding a dog. We don't care about a particular breed and we probably want one at least a year old (we've BTDT with puppies) but as others said, "free to a good home" doesn't seem to be a thing anymore. 

Again--find some local rescue groups and follow them on FB (if you're on there--IMO it's the only thing FB is good for). Our recent addition is a 15 pound cutie, probably poodle/schnauzer mix, but unless and until we do a DNA thing it's anybody's guess. She was picked up as a stray at a Red Roof Inn off the interstate. Nobody claimed her and she needed some vet work that the shelter couldn't provide--to be spayed, a dental and some extractions (I vehemently disagree that dental work is something dogs don't need!!!!), and to have a few lumps removed. So the rescue group I volunteer with pulled her. They posted on their FB page that they needed a foster and I said I'd take her, and then we "failed" 'cause she sucked up to DH big time. LOL But gist of that long ramble--don't rely on shelter websites or Petfinder listings if you're after a particular type of dog. Contact the rescue groups directly some way! Let them know what you're after and get on their list of potential adopters instead of waiting for a dog to appear. And our rescue is very reasonable to deal with--only basic info is asked and fees are very reasonable.

1 hour ago, KungFuPanda said:

 

So, maybe give some of those hounds a chance. 

Most of the hounds make great family pets. I don't know why they're so often overlooked, except that most of them aren't as pretty and flashy as some other breeds. Which goes back to my pet peeve about picking a dog on looks instead of temperament/personality/exercise needs.

Edited July 12, 2020 by Pawz4me

[Carrie12345]

1 hour ago, Æthelthryth the Texan said:

This can be a dangerous path to go down though imo, as "necessary" can be very subject to interpretation and debate. At that point, if you should only in good conscience be allowed to own an animal if you have unlimited resources to spend until there are no options left to take, then only the wealthier will own pets, not to mention those who never draw a line of when to quit. If there's an option, they'll drag out the extension cord, so to speak to keep puppy or kitty alive. If you make less than $300k a year does that mean you shouldn't be able to own a dog because at some point it might need care? Or conversely, if you have a family making 50k a year, should they not be able to adopt a dog because they aren't willing to go into 10k worth of debt on vet treatments? 

In some scenarios, I agree with you, but others are no-brainers  (to me.)
WHen the end of my cat’s tail popped off and he was running around flinging blood, there was no reason to take him outside and shoot him or lethally inject him.  He was going to be (and remains) just fine after surgery to properly amputate and close him up. I would judge someone who would choose to kill him.
Accidents do happen, and they can be costly.

Edited July 12, 2020 by Carrie12345

[Jean in Newcastle]

I don't treat my dogs as children.  I treat them as dogs.  But (and I admit that I am rather passionate about this) dogs have specific needs.  And certain breeds have certain needs.  If you can't meet those needs on a semi-regular basis then "you" (generic universal you) shouldn't have a dog.  Obviously there are times when we have the flu and can't take the dog for a walk, for example.  But there are basic needs that need to be accounted for.  And this includes training.  It is such a huge pet peeve of mine to see untrained or minimally trained dogs running around.  I don't mean that they have to be trained like a guide dog or a police dog or something, but they should at least come when called and sit.  I find it both comical and sad when I'm working with my dog at the dog park on some commands and people are dropping their jaw because Juliet is actually coming when I call her.  (I do this at dog parks because she needs to be able to obey even where there are other distractions like dogs and people around.)  I'm not doing anything fancy but she needs to be able to listen to basic commands for everyone's safety, including hers.

[stephanier.1765]

33 minutes ago, Tap said:

As a side note, caring for a pet in our area is also more expensive.  A spay/neuter is $250. My daughter, who just a year later, now lives in Nevada, just paid $50 at a reputable vet to have the same dog neutered. That is is the going price in her area. Grooming, regular vet care and even pet supplies are way, way cheaper too.   This is why I want to have a substantial fund for care. It is very expensive to get care in our area, even at strip mall style vets. Vet care is pretty much the same price as human care here. 

We take our pets to a low cost vet. A few months ago we got our mama cat spayed and it was $40. My son and his gf adopted our male kitten and when the gf inquired about neutering at their vet, she was quoted $450. That's insanity!

I'm sorry you and your family weren't able to adopt the dog. I feel so bad for you guys and how let down you must feel. 😞

ETA: huge typo

Edited July 12, 2020 by stephanier.1765