Problem is - some pounds actually CHARGE you to drop off animals, regardless of where they came from. Drop off your unwanted fido - they charge you. Drop off a “captured” stray - they charge you. Their excuse - it costs them, and they have no way of knowing if that was really your cat (or dog) you are surrendering.
The pound here not only charges when they take them in, but they charge to adopt them as well. The fee includes a base cost, spay/neuter, and annual tags.
This is the same city that charges $5 for annual dog tags (tax as I call it), and $35 if the animal is not spay/neutered.
Let me use an analogy:
Let's say I think birds are annoying because they eat my blueberries and crap on my windows as they fly by. Let's say I want to get rid of all birds that come onto my property. (a) Should I be allowed to kill every bird that comes on my property, simply because I find them annoying? (b) If I am allowed to kill or remove them, and take them to the local pound, should taxpayers pay for killing them for me, simply because I don't like them? Or should I pay for killing them?
What if we are talking about Deer? Raccoons? Butterflies? Worms? Coyotes? Cats? Children?
Depending on the species, I'm sure each of our answers is different.