Skip to main content

When "low cost" isn't enough




"Low cost" is great, but "free" is better. Especially when it comes to animal care. Many people love their pets, have good intentions, but can't always afford the necessities. That doesn't mean someone who has trouble affording regular pet care costs shouldn't own an animal.

Lack of affordability can lead to more animals in shelters; Because the owner couldn't afford proper identification, spay/neuter, or vaccinations for example. We want to keep these pets in their home, while making sure they get what they need. 

Santa Cruz County has a mandatory Spay/Neuter ordinance, but no longer have a clinic for county residents. 

 If you're going to require a procedure, doesn't it make sense to make it free? The resources are there, yet it still isn't free. If spay and neuter is free, there's no reason NOT to do it! Your pet benefits, animals in shelters benefit, and it will save your wallet in the long run! 

The same goes for vaccinations and microchipping. Rabies vaccinations are required (cheaper to get done at the shelter, than the mobile clinics), but do come at a cost. Other vaccinations, for Parvovirus for example, are so important for the health of your dog or puppy. Parvo is deadly, and expensive to treat. Prevention is the best medicine! This also applies to testing for cats for AIDs and Leukemia.

There are some cases where folks can't even afford to SN their pets, (see above) let alone feed them. So is it fair to punish the pets of folks who cannot afford to SN? Or be made to feel like they are committing a crime because of lack of affordability? If someone cannot even afford to feed their unaltered pet, what makes you think they'd be able to pay the nominal fees? Not to mention, how many people have proof of SN of all of their pets? Alienating pet owners does NOT keep them out of shelters, it fills them. If you're going to offer something for "free," make it free for EVERYONE. 
BAD RAP's "Keep 'Em Home" project

Santa Cruz Dogs aims to do much of what BAD RAP has accomplished; Keeping pets in their homes by utilizing FREE services. Other amazing organizations have also jumped on the "free" bandwagon such as Downtown Dog Rescue, North Central Shelter Intervention Program, and Beyond Breed. 

We're getting our stuff together in order to receive donations to get the ball rolling. These donations will go straight towards a Spay/Neuter, vaccination, and microchip fund. In addition to free services, we also hope to provide food and supplies to those who need it. We're currently in talks with local nonprofits to partner and support this project.

If you are interested in volunteering, or want to help us reach our goal, contact us! We'd love to hear from you!

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Kennel Personality Cards

These cards are meant for the outside of kennels at animal shelters to give visitors some insight as to the personality of the individual animal. So often animals at shelters don’t have a bio, or are judged purely on breed, stereotypes or first impressions. It’s helpful for visitors to know that a dog knows some basic commands, or likes to play or run, or is good with kids/other small animals, etc. Also available in kitties! These cards will advertise kitties as independent, a lap kitty, a playful kitty, etc.  The Kennel Card Packs are about 3” x 4” and laminated. Hole punch is optional. The graphics are hand-drawn digitally and feature bright, fun text to grab adopters attention! Work at a shelter and are interested in these cards? Email us !  We're still working on the logistics and order form, so please bear with us! We recently worked with HEAL Animal Rescue in Pennsylvania! Here are the Kennel Personality Cards in action:
2 comments
Read more

Purebred dogs vs Shelter dogs

Photo credit: Dayton Daily News Yesterday on Twitter, there was a post about an adoptable dog and someone had replied with "well their adoption fees are more expensive than some papered purebreds. People would adopt more if it was more affordable!" My first thought was: That's exactly why animals are in shelters; For YOUR affordability. (Ironically, this person calls themselves a "Pit Bull advocate." See: Abuse of the term "advocate.") This brings up many points: "Papered" means nothing. It's literally a piece of paper with no value. Any so-called "breeder" can register anything, even mutts. And I'll tell you right now, if you paid $100 for a dog with "papers" those don't even prove the dog is of pure bred lineage. There are pure bred dogs in shelters. Most shelters have fees under $200. So think about what you're actually getting if you're purchasing a dog for this little with "papers...
Post a Comment
Read more

Flirt Poles for Dogs

Flirt Poles are an excellent way to exercise your dog and dogs waiting for their forever homes in shelters.  Flirt Poles are like large cat wand toys, for dogs. The idea is, the dog chases the lure back and forth, wearing themselves out trying to catch the lure. It's important first, to teach the dog to "take" and "leave" the lure. That is, the dog needs to wait until it's given a cue to begin to chase the lure.  The lure can be most anything. In the picture at left, there's a fleece lure that is washable and pretty durable. This is great for shelters, as it's important to frequently wash toys after each use.  You can make Flirt Poles yourself, or purchase them online.  This Flirt Pole is made by Squishy Face Studio How to make a Flirt Pole: ( via BADRAP ) Materials: 1. Five or Six foot long PVC pipe 2. 3/4” diameter PVC is best for long poles 3. Approximately 15 feet of rope 4. A stuffed animal o...
Post a Comment
Read more