# Why would one agency charge more than another?



## MXpro982 (Aug 31, 2008)

* The adoption agency where I am trying to adopt a dog charges anywhere between $100-500 but it comes microchipped, vaccines, neutered, etc.. But I found another agency (across the country) that has a flat rate of $89 for males and $94 for females. *


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## angelaw (Dec 14, 2001)

The dogs from the other agency, are the same things done to the dogs/cats? 

Overhead might be different, vet services might charge differently. Smaller versus larger rescues, etc. Could be a number of things. 

In my area, the low cost spay/neuter is $25 (providing they don't screw it up and you have to go to a reg. vet afterwards.....seen it!), then you add in food, shots, deworming, chips, $94 isn't even anywhere breaking even. 

My vet is pretty reasonable for puppies, but last litter she broke her leg day before I had to get the last 2 health certs. So went to a local vet that another breeder recommended. First pup was $125 for h/c, shots, new puppy fee, new client fee. No fecal test. 2nd pup was $200 for h/certificate, shots, new puppy fee, microchip (60!!)), fecal test. 

My vet charged me 300 for 8 puppies for health certs, fecals, and chips! So these 2 pups cost me more than the other 8 in the litter!

I'd hate to think what it would've cost me for the whole gang to go to this guy!


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## dd (Jun 10, 2003)

Different markets will bear different charges. Vetting is notoriously more expenive in the north than the south for instance - so that is one reason.


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## BlackGSD (Jan 4, 2005)

What the heck is a "new puppy fee"? Good grief!

To the "op" are the dogs at the "cheaper" organization already spayed or neutered or does the adopter have to pay for that themselves?


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## angelaw (Dec 14, 2001)

That's what I said. You have your new client fee, then each new puppy is a $2 fee.


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## RebelGSD (Mar 20, 2008)

Goverment agencies get a part of their costs covered from taxes. Rescues often pay real prices to veterinarians. I my area the spay alone runs $250-300. We never break even with a healthy animal. If there is a health problem, costs can run into the thousands. 

You can adopt a dog for 25 bucks from a shelter, however it usually comes with no microchip, spay/neuter, health check, in-home evaluation etc.


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## MXpro982 (Aug 31, 2008)

* Ok.. So knowing that it has been through all the hoops and a vet has declared it healthy, it isn't necessarily abnormally expensive.. I guess I will wait and see what they want to charge me for him! I'm anxious.. Its hard waiting to hear back.*


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## dd (Jun 10, 2003)

Have you been approved to adopt him? Have you met him? Good luck!


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## MXpro982 (Aug 31, 2008)

* I sent in my application. It says it takes up to a week for them to contact me. It will be a week Friday. Here he is! They guess he is around 1 1/2 yrs old.








*


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## littledmc17 (Apr 9, 2008)

I can't believe its taking so long


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## MXpro982 (Aug 31, 2008)

* I'm pretty nervous.. I'm afraid they won't let me take him because I have a 4 month old daughter.. I noticed on some of their puppies listed it says "because of his/her age the puppy cannot go to a home with a child under seven".. I know they are referring to a puppy that is like 16 weeks old.. And the one I want is a year and half.. But who knows.*


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## Remo (Sep 8, 2004)

Some dogs LOVE kids and are wonderful with them. Others don't care for kids and need to go to homes without little ones.

I had two dogs from the same blood lines and they were raised/trained/socialized the exact same way. 

One loved kids and would abandon me for a pack of wild boys. The other learned to tolerate them, after a whole lot of work on my part - but she never did like kids. 

I would rather place a nice young adult in a home with kids than a puppy.


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## Avamom (Sep 28, 2004)

> Originally Posted By: littledmcI can't believe its taking so long


Personal references and vets offices are not always easy or quick to get a hold of (and many places want to call the refs before doing the phone interview with the applicant so they can clear up anything a ref may have said) and depending on how many apps they get a day/week that is not an unreasonable amount of time for a volunteer who may also have a fulltime job, family and pets to also take care of.


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## RebelGSD (Mar 20, 2008)

If you consider the adoption fee abnormally expensive, you may try to get mentally ready for vet costs - a single visit for a minor problem may cost you the same as the adoption fee.


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## MXpro982 (Aug 31, 2008)

* I just meant in comparison with the other agency I found that was only around $90.. Thats like $400 CHEAPER than the agency I am going with potentially. *


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## Kayos and Havoc (Oct 17, 2002)

As said you probably get much less in terms of service from the other agency. Most rescues try to recover costs put into dogs and their operating expenses. That cost goes into the adoption fee. If they can't break even they cannot save other dogs. 

And $400 is still far less than you would pay a breeder and you would still have all the vet expenses like shots, neutering, micrchip etc. 

$400 is cheap!!!


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## MXpro982 (Aug 31, 2008)

* Yup.. I agree.. Hopefully I get a good X-mas present this year!







*


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## Kayos and Havoc (Oct 17, 2002)

That would be nice!!!!!


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