All posts by dkrosse

08 Jun 2023

How Fee-Waived Adoptions Save Lives

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Research Shows: Fee-Waived Adoptions Save Lives

Reducing or waving adoption fees is considered a life-saving strategy and this is why:

There is a growing body of research, based in science, that shows fee-waived adoptions are an effective way of saving lives. Leading organizations, including the ASPCA, Maddie’s Fund and Best Friends have all researched the topic and support the adoption strategy.

Maddie’s Fund did a post-adoption survey of its sponsored adoption event in San Francisco in 2011, which offered free adoption fees. The upshot? 6 to 12 months after the event, 95 percent of dogs and 93 percent of cats were still in their original forever homes. That means the return rate was actually less than average for most shelters and rescue groups. To see other results from the study, please see the summary of the Maddie’s Fund study here.
With a good, conversation-based adoption process in place, along with a short application, people who want animals for less-than-honorable purposes are not likely to try and adopt because they don’t want their actions to be documented by virtual or paper trails. That means, no matter what the adoption fee, as long as you have an effective adoption process, you can attract quality adopters.
The ability of adopters to pay high adoption fees does not guarantee the quality of their homes or their future ability to support adopted pets. It also doesn’t ensure that pets will not be returned or given to another person. Everyone loves a deal, regardless of income.
According to a study published in the Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, people who adopted cats with waived fees had the same degree of attachment as those who paid fees. Additionally, the study found that eliminating fees did not devalue the cats in the eyes of the adopters.
The longer animals stay in a shelter, the more likely it is that they may develop health and behavioral problems, which costs money to treat. That means reduced and no-fee adoptions may save your organization money because, the faster you find pets homes, the less you will spend on their care. Plus, the faster you help animals find homes, the happier and healthier they’ll be and the more lives you’ll be able to save.
See the ASPCA’s research on fee-waived cats here.
See Best Friends’s position on fee-waived adoptions here.

08 Jun 2023

Getting Ready for a Dog Adoption

bydkrosse /

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On the Day of the Adoption

When you come to one of the Pick Me! SC adoption sites, remember to bring a leash for your new pet. You will also want to have food and water bowls for food and water ready at your house, and if you want to “crate train” your dog, be sure to get a crate. Toys, treats, and love are a great combination to help your new dog to adjust to the new environment.Some of the adoption sites may have these items available for sale, but you may want to call ahead to be sure.

Here are other great resources from Petco!

Picking the Right Dog

Loyal and loving, dogs are social animals who thrive on being upstanding members of their families.

- If there are young children in your home, a puppy may not be your best bet. You may want to consider adopting a medium-sized dog over five months of age.
- It is a good idea to draw up a schedule of who in the family will help with the care of your new dog, including walking, playing, feeding and grooming.
- Don’t forget to have your new friend spayed or neutered.

Getting Ready for a Dog Adoption

Whether it’s tightly sealing your garbage cans or paying attention to dangerous decorations during the holidays, you’ll need to make your home safe before adopting. That includes keeping toxic foods, pet-unfriendly plants and dangerous household items out of paw’s reach. Here are some suggestions for preparing your home to welcome a new canine or feline companion.

Put a cozy bed for your pet in every room. Pets are much more likely to keep off of furniture if they have attractive alternatives.
Avoid vertical blinds, pooling drapery, ornate tassels and long cords that can become strangulation hazards.
It may be a good idea to roll up and store decorative rugs until your new dog is fully house-trained.
Provide your new cat with a variety of scratching posts and perches.
Use dog crates and gates to confine your new dog when home alone until his house manners earn him unsupervised freedom.
Provide plenty of “legal” things for your dog to chew. If he has attractive toys and bones of his own, he’ll be much less likely to gnaw on your things!
Check to make sure that plants in and around your home are not poisonous to pets.

For more information about caring for your new pet, please visit the ASPCA’s Dog Care section of their website.

This Article Courtesy of ASPCA.

06 Jun 2023

Getting Ready for a Cat Adoption

bydkrosse /

Top News

On the Day of the Adoption

When you come to one of the Pick Me! SC adoption sites, remember to bring a carrier for your new pet. You will also want to have food and water bowls, litter and litterboxes ready at your house. Toys, cat trees, treats, and love are a great combination to help your new cat to adjust to the new environment. Some of the adoption sites will have these items available for sale, but you may want to call ahead to be sure.

Here are some other great resources from Petco:

Adopting a Cat

When adopting, you are making a commitment to care for an animal for the rest of his life—that could mean 10 to 15 years for dogs and up to 20 years for cats. As you go through lifestyle changes such as moves, the birth of children and new jobs, your animal will remain a permanent part of your life. If circumstances change, will you still be able to care for your pet?
Picking the Right Cat for You
Cats are known to be graceful, athletic, playful, sensitive and affectionate.
Make sure everyone in the house is prepared to have a cat.
Cats can be very independent. Make sure everyone knows that the fun begins only after the cat feels safe and her needs are met.
Once you’re sure everyone is ready for feeding, litter changing and grooming, you can divvy up chores among family members so everyone is prepared to care for kitty before she arrives.
As with dogs, it’s important to have your new feline friend spayed or neutered.
Put a cozy bed for your pet in every room. Pets are much more likely to keep off of furniture if they have attractive alternatives.
If you have a cat, try putting double-sided sticky tape or upside-down carpet runners on furniture to discourage her from scratching.
Avoid vertical blinds, pooling drapery, ornate tassels and long cords that can become strangulation hazards.
If you have cats, be sure to install high-quality metal screens on all windows.
Provide your new cat with a variety of scratching posts and perches.
Check to make sure that plants in and around your home are not poisonous to pets.
This article is courtesy of ASPCA.