Sigh...

[wnylib]

6. The Humane Society in my town has a fee, too.

The cats, kittens, dogs, and puppies are fixed before adoption. Kittens and puppies get shots appropriate to their age so the fee covers all those costs. I don't know what the fee is because my last cat was a stray that a friend found and my current one came from a coworker whose cat had a litter. In each case, I took them to a vet myself for neutering/spaying and shots.

But I do know that the Humane Society waives their adoption fee for seniors who want to adopt a dog or cat. The vets in town take turns offering spaying and neutering to the general public through a "clinic" that the Humane Society sponsors, every few months. The neutering fee for males at these clinics is $25 and spaying of females is $50. A rabies shot is offered at that time, for an additional $20.

To adopt from the HS, you have to fill out a form that includes giving a list of 3 references. One of the references should be a vet if you already have a pet or have had one in the past. If you rent, you must give the name and contact info of your landlord. They contact each reference and the landlord, if there is one, before anyone can take a pet home. The vetting process for prospective adoptions also includes a police background check to weed out people with abuse or animal complaint records.

The HS sponsors a community fund raiser each year, with collection jars at area businesses and a photo contest of people's pets, with a fee for entry. The local newspaper prints the winning photos in various categories.