Animal care isn’t cheap

Re: “Pet fees exclusive,” Feb. 4:

On behalf of shelters, when someone arrives to adopt a pet there is a “forever home” commitment. Lifelong animal care requires money. Daily food costs, yearly costs of vaccinations and licenses, expected and unexpected veterinarian costs can be substantial. Shelters are aware of this. Unfortunately, this is a concern. We wonder, should you not be in a position to pay the adoption fee, how could you provide ongoing care?

Adoption fees pay for food, shelter, vaccinations and often surgery and spay or neuter. Additional expenses are: paying staff, rent, utilities, transportation, quarantine rooms, kennels, advertisements (pet photos bring potential owners), supplies and laundry. If the animal arrived out of tragic circumstances, immediate surgery may be needed. Priest River Animal Rescue, a very small town nonprofit, rescued 336 pets and had expenses of $96,000 in 2006. There are no luxuries at PRAR. It is a make-do, try-to-survive-and-do-what-is-best- for-the-animal facility. As caregivers and volunteers, we love our rescued pets. We need to know that their new owners can love them and afford them – forever!

Lynn Walters

Priest River Animal Rescue volunteer

Dover, Idaho