Dogs are just one of the most endearing animal that you can find. They are loyal, sweet and cuddly and somehow they can feel the emotions that you are currently feeling whether you are sad, happy or feeling under the weather. Many people ask how much does it cost to adopt a dog and why does one have to pay to adopt a dog? There are various reasons why there is a minimal fee for their adoption. We will discuss the various inclusions in a dog adoption and why you need to pay for them.
Cost Of A Dog Adoption
The bond between a dog and a human has a lot of health benefits. Having a dog will help you promote a better physical and psychological health. You can walk your dog every day which is a great exercise for you and your furry friend. Bringing your dog to a park or any public places will help you socialize with other dog lovers as well. You have to two options in having a dog, either you buy one or you adopt one. Adopting a dog is like saving a life and what you would need to know are the basic cost of adopting a dog.
Aside from saving a life, adopting a dog is cheaper that buying one so here are dog adoption fees dog adoption fees that you should be aware of:
| Vaccinations | Cost |
|---|---|
| Veterinary wellness visit and exam | $50-100 |
| Distemper vaccination | $20-30×2 |
| Rabies vaccination | $15-25 |
| Heartworm test (for dogs) | $15-35 |
| Flea/tick treatment | $50-200 |
| Microchip | $50 |
| Deworming | $20-50 |
| Collar and an identification tag | $5-10 |
If you do decide to adopt a dog, the estimated cost of adopting a dog will be from around $230.00 to $330.00. The total cost includes various vaccines and exams that are needed to be taken to ensure that the dog you bring to your homes is healthy and well kept.
If you are wondering why there needs to be testing and vaccination was done, then there are a lot of things you need to learn in taking care of a dog. Your dog needs a Distemper vaccination twice and that will cost you around $20 to $30 each time. It also needs Rabies vaccination worth $15 to $25. These shots are already included in the adoption payment. If you are going to pay for this services separately, a dog clinic will likely charge you around $20 to $150 for the same shots. You can save as much as $105 on the vaccination alone if you do pay the adoption cost.
Aside from that, you would also need to pay for the Parasite Treatments and Preventatives which includes the Heartworm test (for dogs), Flea/tick treatment, and Deworming. The total cost of this treatment if you pay the adoption cost will only be around $85 to $285. But if you are buying a dog and paying for this kind of treatments, the average cost of the same package can reach to as much as $1000 so this means that you can save a lot of money if you adopt a dog and pay the adoption fee.
For a shelter to monitor their canine animals, they usually include a microchip with them so that they can easily trace them in case they get lost or run off. The cost of a microchip which is embedded during the dog adoption fees will only cost $20 to $50 but if you buy the chip yourself, you can spend around $45 to $60 for one chip. Although the savings is minute but you can still save on cost on this product.
Other Cost For Taking Care OF Adopted Dogs
Once you have brought your newly adopted dog at home, you would need to give them a sense that they are no longer at a foster home and the change of environment may stress them. You can crate train your dog so that they will know where they should go if they need to pee or poop and it would be best if you have it set up already before your dog arrives at your place.
A new dog crate will like cost $39 to about $300 depending on the durability and design. An American Kennel Club 24 in. x 20 in. x 18 in. Small Wire Dog Crate will like cost you $39.97 /each. It is pre-assembled and comes with 2 doors and it has collapsible design and handles for easy storage and transport.
But if you want your furry friends to have a place that they can call a home then choose the sturdy New Age Pet Extra Large Habitat ‘n Home Espresso InnPlace II Pet Crate. It is made up of an eco-friendly and durable composite material. It is non-toxic which makes it really good for your dog and it is easy to clean and install. This product cost $255.24 /each.
You should also dog proof the area where your adopted dogs love to frequent. You may need to tape and cover loose electrical cords to baseboards and remove breakable household items from low places. You should bring your dog to a ground training classes so that you and your pooch can enjoy each other’s company and understand each other’s needs.
These type of training will cost you around $65 to as much as $200 depending on the kind of training you are enrolling as well as the length of the classes. You should also look into the nutrition of your dog. You should feed them nutritional items which are high in protein and fat because they can burn calories easily. You can feed then premium holistic dry kibble which cost $200 to $400 yearly or you can also buy raw foods which will be quite expensive than the dry ones as it will cost you from $400 and $1,000 a year.
The cost of the food that you buy for your pooch will differ on whether they like to eat it or not. There are dogs that are picky eater so it would be best if you can buy a small quantity and have them taste it before you buy a lot.
How You Can Save On Cost For Adopted Dogs
Adopting a dog can save you a lot of dollars. Aside from the fact that they are cheaper compared to buying one they are also in better health because dogs that are put in shelters have regular vaccines and are well taken care of.
If you want a pure breed and is planning to buy one then why not check your local pet shelter and adopt one instead because it is really cheap and 25% of the pets in the shelter are pure breeds. They rescue animals every single day and finding a purebred dog will not be hard for you.
Dogs at the shelter are better-socialized dogs because they are used to having other dogs around. This way, you won’t have to go to a pet training school to train your pet how to socialize and you would save hundreds of dollars just for not paying a trainer.
Also, if you want to buy your pet supplies then buying them at the shelter where you got your dog is a lot cheaper. You can save on the cost of your pet supplies because the shelter knows that you got the pooch from them.