It’s really personal for me.
My Ibizan Djinni passed away a year ago and little Gypsy the Podengo, who was already mourning Bubby’s death 3 years ago went into a terrible despair.
She’s never known a life without one of them still being here.
She resents Hrafi for being “not Bubby” and has settled into a love/hate relationship with him.
She really was attached to Djinni, the most.
The freaking greedy shelters here, even if it’s a some pitiful dog who’s old, ugly, sickly and no one wants it, is STILL $350 [and up] to adopt.
I have a stockpile of dog food I’ve hoarded from clearance sales and lots of love to give but just cannot afford such an obscene price for a shelter dog to make her happy again.
I’ve adopted many dogs and the most I ever paid was through a Doberman rescue.
He cost me a hundred bucks.
Every other dog was anywhere from 30-50 dollars.
So much for adopt don’t shop.
Meanwhile, she still grieves.
So that’s why I cried.
I’m very happy the dog has friends again.
The shelter costs are high enough to make sure people don’t buy them and sell them to labs. The shelters keep the costs high so there is no incentive for psychopaths to turn profit.
Additionally, there’s a certain demographic that likes to get tough looking dogs as status symbols, and then neglect/abuse them because they have no ability to actually care for anything good and living. The high shelter costs keep status dogs out of the hands of lowlife/low IQ thugs.
I am truly sorry, Salamander, for the loss of your companions.
Yes, it’s evil for shelters to charge and arm and a leg. A lot of them are in cahoots with vets who neuter/spay animals.
When we adopt our animals I tell the shelter right up front that the animal will go to straight to OUR vet.
We’re currently looking for a dog we saw on the street a bit from our house...if we see her again we’re going to take her to our vet to see if she’s got a chip. We think/hope she may have just jumped a fence and was roaming without her collar.
I also would like to adopt one of the cats in our area. My beloved husband mourns deeply all the pets we’ve had over the years. They don’t lie, or steal, and all they want is food, water, and hugs.... and a safe warm place to sleep.
Sigh.
I’m sorry, I didn’t intend it to bring up bad memories for you.
That’s crazy those shelters won’t “make a deal” for the older, unwanted pets. Obviously they have to charge something, but it costs them more in the long run and worse, if they have to euthanize them if no one adopts (which I hope they don’t, but we know many do).
Despite that, you might consider donating that excess food (if you haven’t already) to those in need (even the greedy shelters), rather than let it expire.
I never have bought a pet in my life. All have been (or were descended from) ones that just showed up in my yard over the years.