Buying A Rescue Dog

Bettyboop

Just looking at a website and wonder how they justify €180 and €100 for the dogs! I understand they need to get back their costs for vaccines etc but €180 is a bit ott.I mean people can buy pedigree dogs for that price and would surely put potential adopters off.Maybe I am missing something.If an elderly person wanted to adopt a dog and give it a good home surely €50 would be enough.

mosi

Adoption fees, even those that seem high like €180, are actually very small in comparison to what you would pay yourself for neuter, vax, worming etc, never mind the other veterinary treatments that a rescue may have to pay for, and the cost of food, bedding etc while the dog is in their care. Many rescues are running at a loss, and the homing fees do not even come close to covering what they may have spent on individual dogs. If they did try to recoup all of their expenditure through homing fees, then the real price may well be off putting for people.
It is wrong to think of rescue dogs as a cheap option, and I would imagine that many rescues also bear this in mind when setting their adoption fee. If someone isn't willing to pay the required amount to a rescue, how can they be expected to pay for all the costs associated with responsible pet ownership?

DBB

Bettyboop wrote: »

Just looking at a website and wonder how they justify €180 and €100 for the dogs! I understand they need to get back their costs for vaccines etc but €180 is a bit ott.I mean people can buy pedigree dogs for that price and would surely put potential adopters off.Maybe I am missing something.If an elderly person wanted to adopt a dog and give it a good home surely €50 would be enough.

To prepare one dog for rehoming, given the minimum time it would spend at e.g. my rescue is 10 days to settle, get neutered, and recover sufficiently prior to rehoming, and bearing in mind that I get major discounts from my vet and kennels:
Female spay €75, dog castration €50
First vaccination €20
Wormer and flea treatment €20
10 days kennelling €60

So, I hope you can see how €150 at best will just cover the direct financial outlay for a dog, whilst we lose on every female. And that's at best, and with substantial discounts which an average owner won't get.
Bear in mind that these costs do not cover diesel, admin, phone, or most expensive of all, time, all of which are given free of charge, in the case of my and most rescues.
You don't "buy" a rescue dog, you adopt it and give a donation to help the rescue tread water. Because a rescue can't, and will never break even at €150, I subsidise my rescue from my own pocket to the tune of hundreds every year. In other words, I pay money in return for voluntarily running myself ragged!

TooManyDogs

DBB wrote: »

I get major discounts from my vet and kennels:
Female spay €75, dog castration €50

That's an excellent subsidisation, we don't get that.

OP the biggest difference between getting a dog from a rescue and one from donedeal is one from a rescue will have had all medical needs taken care of for the €100 - €180 whereas a dog from donedeal will need you pay for all those medical expenses on top of the price of the dog..... So your 'cheap' donedeal dog could end up costing you upwards of €300

star-pants

Please Read the forum charter BettyBoop - links to the likes of donedeal ads etc. are not allowed.

wolfpawnat

I just got a rescue dog, yes the fees are very steep, but he is vaccinated and neutered. His vet bills before he came to me would have been astronomical and the money I paid would have been nothing compared to the cost of looking after him beforehand.

On a slightly OT note. If you have a member of your family on the SW, you can get them to get the dog neutered for a heavily subsidised cost, think it is only about €20. Most people have family on a pension or something

ISDW

wolfpawnat wrote: »

On a slightly OT note. If you have a member of your family on the SW, you can get them to get the dog neutered for a heavily subsidised cost, think it is only about €20. Most people have family on a pension or something

I absolutely hate this mentality. The scheme where you can get your pet neutered/spayed is run by the Dogs Trust, who are a charity. So by using a family member's SW status, you are ripping off a charity. It is meant to be for people who are genuine, not for people with a granny who is on a pension but who are working themselves. I can't believe how often this comes up, the advice to steal from a charity, and how so many people believe that it is acceptable. Dogs Trust give very few vouchers now, and I very much doubt there will be a vet in the country anywhere that will still have any left at this time in the year.

meoklmrk91

I do get your point OP but visit your local rescue and I am sure it will change your mind. Dogs are neutered/spayed, treated for parasites and have their vaccinations. And people think that paying a €100+ is steep simply because most of the time you are getting a mixed breed and fiscally they are not worth anything.

There are two points to consider, the first being it is all well in good when a healthy dog comes in with a condition such a mange, or a broken limb then the costs can run very high for the rescue and they have to take on the costs. If they did this all the time and had no adoption fee then they would have to shutdown, it's a charity at the end if the day and the silent suffererers of this recession are the animals. I know that my local shelter 2-3 dogs arrive a day before the recession really it there was 1 being adopted a day but now the max is 2-3 a well while dogs are still coming in at an alarming rate. The adoption fee is to help towards the costs of care, in some cases it doesn't even come close to covering costs.

The second point is when people pay money for a dog they are more likely to look after it. Sad but true, they have already invested in it when they pay their adoption fees, however if someone gets a dog for free if they start being negligent they don't lose out on money. Sad but true.

andreac

How do you think these dogs are fed, bedded, looked after, vaccinated, treated with medical treatment etc etc when they are in the rescue?? They dont live on fresh air, it all costs money to do this.

Rescues are usually run by volunteers who give up their time to look after these animals until they are homed, some are in rescue for weeks even months so can you not see how it costs money to look after these animals while they are there??

Also, most rescues get no funding so have to fund raise the money themselves, so they rely on donations from new owners to keep their charity going so they can keep rehoming and minding animals they have been dumped by their owners.

Oh just to add, if you are buying a Pedigree dog thats only €100 euro then theres something seriously wrong with the dog or the breeder....

wolfpawnat

ISDW wrote: »

I absolutely hate this mentality. The scheme where you can get your pet neutered/spayed is run by the Dogs Trust, who are a charity. So by using a family member's SW status, you are ripping off a charity. It is meant to be for people who are genuine, not for people with a granny who is on a pension but who are working themselves. I can't believe how often this comes up, the advice to steal from a charity, and how so many people believe that it is acceptable. Dogs Trust give very few vouchers now, and I very much doubt there will be a vet in the country anywhere that will still have any left at this time in the year.

There are many people that are low to middle incomes who are taxed to the hilt, don't get a medical card and who are entitled to no help of any kind. They shouldn't have to pay extortionate vet bills for doing a responsible thing. It's not fair if they cannot afford that!

Bullseye1

I would look at it as making a donation to the centre so that they can continue to do the work.

If you are unhappy to make that donation why not try your local authority dog pound? Not sure if they charge an administration fee.

Bullseye1

wolfpawnat wrote: »

There are many people that are low to middle incomes who are taxed to the hilt, don't get a medical card and who are entitled to no help of any kind. They shouldn't have to pay extortionate vet bills for doing a responsible thing. It's not fair if they cannot afford that!

Maybe when people are in that situation it would be prudent not to keep a dog. I don't see why the rest of society should be asked to subsidise others keeping a dog. Those people are also under pressure financially. If you cannot afford to keep a dog don't.

wolfpawnat

Bullseye1 wrote: »

Maybe when people are in that situation it would be prudent not to keep a dog. I don't see why the rest of society should be asked to subsidise others keeping a dog. Those people are also under pressure financially. If you cannot afford to keep a dog don't.

Would that not put those charities under more pressure? If a person has taken pay cuts (as is happening nowadays) and if they are taking increases in taxes, then their disposable income is decreased.

So to get rid of the dog now due to a loss income would mean they would have to place it in the likes of Dogs Trust and then Dogs Trust has to pay for its food, all healthcare costs, and in turn the neutering. Seems a tad counter-productive really!

ohmfg

wolfpawnat wrote: »

There are many people that are low to middle incomes who are taxed to the hilt, don't get a medical card and who are entitled to no help of any kind. They shouldn't have to pay extortionate vet bills for doing a responsible thing. It's not fair if they cannot afford that!

Without meaning to sound completely fascist, if you* can't afford something without resorting to conning a charity, then perhaps you shouldn't have it?

*you is a global term and not specifically aimed at wolfpawnat.

wolfpawnat

Bullseye1 wrote: »

If you are unhappy to make that donation why not try your local authority dog pound? Not sure if they charge an administration fee.

The CSPCA was (this was about 5 years ago I will add)

€50 for cross bred.
€100 for pure bred.

Cherry Blossom

wolfpawnat wrote: »

There are many people that are low to middle incomes who are taxed to the hilt, don't get a medical card and who are entitled to no help of any kind. They shouldn't have to pay extortionate vet bills for doing a responsible thing. It's not fair if they cannot afford that!

I had my dog spayed on that scheme, I could have paid for it myself but there was a reason that she had to be done sooner rather than later and I was on SW at the time and was very grateful it was there to be availed of. I donate my first pay-check to that charity in return (I get paid fortnightly). That was 6 months ago, I made another donation a few weeks ago. I am only 6 months out of the SW system myself, am still paying off student loans from years ago and struggling to get back on my feet again. Would you kindly explain to me why I am paying for people who much better off than I am to have their pets neutered? :mad:

While people are doing this there are people in real need of this scheme who are not benefiting from it as there is a limited no. of vouchers (e.g. OAP's who actually own dogs!). In fairness to my vet I got the spanish inquisition when I asked about the scheme and was told in no uncertain terms that if I took one the spaces someone else would not get it, she was extremely condescending about the whole thing . . . and I applaud her for it.

ISDW

wolfpawnat wrote: »

There are many people that are low to middle incomes who are taxed to the hilt, don't get a medical card and who are entitled to no help of any kind. They shouldn't have to pay extortionate vet bills for doing a responsible thing. It's not fair if they cannot afford that!

You are absolutely right, that totally gives someone the right to steal from a charity.

So do you also advocate going to charity shops and walking out with stock without paying? If not, can you please explain the difference to me.

Themadhouse

I think fostering or taking a day to work in a local rescue would really open people's eyes to the expenses occurred. Most of the time a minimum donation doesn't even make a dent in what the dog has cost the rescue.
I fostered for a cat rescue. I had a foster feral cat that lived in my house for 18 months. She had her initial vaccinations and her spay paid for by the rescue. We fed her for al those months, paid for her boosters, wormers, flea drops, the cooked chicken that we used to socialise her with humans. We gave a lot of time and money to help this girl find a home. When she eventually got a home the rescue got a donation of 20 euro....
The rescue I got my dog from 6 yrs ago were looking for 50 euro donation. We sat down and added all cost up , spay, jabs, food etc etc and gave an amount that we figured would cover all the rescues costs but would also include extra. If we had gotten a dog from the farmer next door we would have had to pay for it all anyway! We paid almost as much as a good pedigree dog but she was so worth it!

VenusPlays

If you can't afford to pay a donation to the rescue that gave time, patience, love and understanding to the poor dog that ended up on their doorstep through no fault of its own, you can't afford the dog.

If you can't afford to neuter your dog, you can't afford the dog.

If you can't afford to keep the dog up to date on its vaccinations, basic health care and other costs, you can't afford the dog.

How in gods name would people who wont pay for basic costs planning on paying vet bills should something happen the dog or if they develop an illness???

This 'I want so I shall have' attitude that pervades our society now sickens me. Ask yourself is in the dogs best interest that he lives with you before you get a dog!

planetX

Bullseye1 wrote: »

I would look at it as making a donation to the centre so that they can continue to do the work.

If you are unhappy to make that donation why not try your local authority dog pound? Not sure if they charge an administration fee.

+1
I believe it's about 20 euro to take a dog from the pound. I paid 150 to a dog rescue for a dog that they had microchipped, vaccinated - which would almost cost that much. I also got the benefit of someone with more knowledge than me checking over the dog, and most of all... I was spared having to go into a dog pound, which would have cost me a fortune as I'd have come out with at least 10 dogs. Not to mention all the help with matching us to the right type of dog, and the fact that if things didn't work out we were encouraged to see it as fostering to start, the option was there to return the dog. I think it's great value actually.

Irishchick

Bettyboop wrote: »

Just looking at a website and wonder how they justify €180 and €100 for the dogs! I understand they need to get back their costs for vaccines etc but €180 is a bit ott

This is a disgusting attitude. People have already pointed out that it costs much more to keep the dog until it is rehomed.

If you cant afford this how will you be able to pay for treatment should a dog need it? Never mind feeding, vaccines and regular treatment for parasites.


And a pedigree dog for 150?? Let me know where you get it because I can almost guarantee you it will be a puppy farmed dog with congenital conditions that could cost you 1000's to treat.

Blueprint

I got my rescue dog 4 years ago and paid an adoption fee of €150 for him. A few weeks later, I took in a stray cat and her kittens, two of which I kept. The cost of getting the female kitten vaccinated, neutered and microchipped was:

2 x vaccinations at €41 each = €82

Microchipping = €45

Neutering = €90

Total = €217

Male kitten was slightly cheaper as neutering was only €60, so total cost of getting him set up for life was €187.

I didn't even count worming and feeding them until they were old enough to leave their mothers. So I regard €150 for a rescue dog with everything done as a real bargain!

Plus of course, every dog you pay for is just helping to save the next dog who comes into rescue as rescues are not run by benevolent millionaires who can afford to rescue dogs out of their own pockets - most (nearly all) rescues are permanently in debt to their vets etc. and having to turn dogs away due to lack of funds.

JustAThought

Thanks due to everyone who spelled out what I would have thought was basic good morals and values to the person who proposed scamming charities and those who give so much.
The " I'm entitled; I want I'll cheat and lie to get it" culture is rotting this country into the ground. It's great to hear people speaking up against it.

I stood with a clipboard at the blue cross van one night and watched over 50 people of all kinds with their dogs,many toys and expensive breeds, climb into that van; not a single person contributed a single penny.
I could not believe it. Nor could I believe the calm and generosity of the vets over the whole thing.

suziwalsh

JustAThought wrote: »

Nor could I believe the calm and generosity of the vets over the whole thing.

The vets get paid on the blue cross. Vets also get paid for the dogs trust neutering scheme. I think the problem is the vets and the cost of vet care in this country. Just like doctors the mark up on medication and medical services in this country are a disgrace.

Its shameful to be honest. Including the un-neccessary yearly vaccine that is recommended. I believe its only a money making racket seen as the drugs companies believe that dogs only need a booster every 3 years.

Its also a pity that more vets won't do work for rescue groups for more of a reduced rate. Don't get me wrong some vets are wonderful but the majority are over priced.

Irishchick

suziwalsh wrote: »

JustAThought wrote: »

Nor could I believe the calm and generosity of the vets over the whole thing.

The vets get paid on the blue cross. Vets also get paid for the dogs trust neutering scheme. I think the problem is the vets and the cost of vet care in this country. Just like doctors the mark up on medication and medical services in this country are a disgrace.

Its shameful to be honest. Including the un-neccessary yearly vaccine that is recommended. I believe its only a money making racket seen as the drugs companies believe that dogs only need a booster every 3 years.

Its also a pity that more vets won't do work for rescue groups for more of a reduced rate. Don't get me wrong some vets are wonderful but the majority are over priced.

No one is making you bring your dog every year. The attitude towards vets on this forum is disgraceful sometimes.

I'm a training veterinary nurse hoping to go into vet med. Vets spend 6 years working hard in college which,if you don't get grant cost over 100,000 euros.

The vet I work for does 14 hour days and would bend over backwards to help an animal in need.

You are paying for a surgeon with years worth of training and expertise.

Some people think that alot of vets are on it for the money which I'd bull crap. By the time you factor in costs with the amount of hours they work, coupled with the crap they get off farmer sometimes and scabs who think they should work for half nothing ... They don't actually earn that much.

aisher

I just got my dog spayed and the cost was €150 which I thought was a fair price since it covered the operation, the pain meds, anitiboitics and the follow up visit in 10 days to have the stiches removed. I have family on SW and it would never occur to me to use their card to cheat the charities - you never know when you will be in need and have to use them !!

wolfpawnat

Irishchick wrote: »

No one is making you bring your dog every year. The attitude towards vets on this forum is disgraceful sometimes.

I'm a training veterinary nurse hoping to go into vet med. Vets spend 6 years working hard in college which,if you don't get grant cost over 100,000 euros.

The vet I work for does 14 hour days and would bend over backwards to help an animal in need.

You are paying for a surgeon with years worth of training and expertise.

Some people think that alot of vets are on it for the money which I'd bull crap. By the time you factor in costs with the amount of hours they work, coupled with the crap they get off farmer sometimes and scabs who think they should work for half nothing ... They don't actually earn that much.

Actually it is 11 grand each for first and second year, 8 for third and something similar for 4th and 5th So a far cry from €100,000(my partner is forking out for it so that is how I know) And a vet can earn quite a lot if they are willing to work for it. I will say the expectations the college puts on the students are near impossible to complete.

And it is 5 years, not 6.

And most vet students in UCD in recent years are only there cause they failed the HPAT for medicine!

Vets are overpaid for the small jobs in all fairness. I mean €40 for to put a injection into a dogs neck, hardly rocket science is it?

TBH I thought the government and vets did that SW scheme, I was ignorant to the fact it is the Blue Cross (having paid for my pets spaying's/neutering's myself, I never applied for it).

TooManyDogs

wolfpawnat wrote: »

TBH I thought the government and vets did that SW scheme, I was ignorant to the fact it is the Blue Cross (having paid for my pets spaying's/neutering's myself, I never applied for it).

It's Dogs Trust, not Blue cross that do the voucher scheme

Sigma Force

Not all rescues charge that but they should if the dog is already vaxd and neutered.

By the time my girls were vaccinated/spayed/wormed etc. their vet bills both cost around €300 each by the time all that was done. If I'd adopted them both it would of worked out cheaper so I don't think the adoption fees are steep at all. You need to be able to afford the minimum because lets face it most dogs get themselves in to mischief at some stage and need an unexpected trip to the vet then someone shouldn't adopt a dog. I know people use the blue cross etc. if they are stuck but many are able to pay a bit or all of it back to them over time which is a great system but that system isn't in place all over the country.

Dunno about anyone else but I don't think vet bills have gotten any cheaper...in fact vet fees seem to be going up still so you can't blame rescues for having to charge a bigger fee than expected.

But sure look there's lots of dogs wandering the streets homeless there are plenty of dogs that people take in and are just looking for a good home as well, some are even vaccinated etc. already and people just want a good home. Or people who's circumstances have changed and just need a good home for their dog so there are plenty of options for people.
Even taking a dog from the pound. But you'll still end up with the vet bills which will cost more than if you adopted for a rescue.

Irishchick

wolfpawnat wrote: »

Actually it is 11 grand each for first and second year, 8 for third and something similar for 4th and 5th So a far cry from €100,000(my partner is forking out for it so that is how I know) And a vet can earn quite a lot if they are willing to work for it. I will say the expectations the college puts on the students are near impossible to complete.

And it is 5 years, not 6.

And most vet students in UCD in recent years are only there cause they failed the HPAT for medicine!

Vets are overpaid for the small jobs in all fairness. I mean €40 for to put a injection into a dogs neck, hardly rocket science is it?

it).

I know someone going through it the fees are 78,000 over 5 years not counting rent and and living. I have double checked that figure.

Your paying someone to "stick an injection into a dogs neck"

Your paying an experienced vet to administer a sub cut injection of medication which he or she has paid for already. Your paying for the meds and for the vet to give it. It is actually possible to kil an animal if a sub cutaneous injection in administered incorrectly.

So seen as it's not rocket science do it yourself next time and see how it goes. Be prepared for local reactions, side effects and possible death.

But you know, as you say, its not rocket science

wolfpawnat

Irishchick wrote: »

I know someone going through it the fees are 78,000 over 5 years not counting rent and and living. I have double checked that figure.

Your paying someone to "stick an injection into a dogs neck"

Your paying an experienced vet to administer a sub cut injection of medication which he or she has paid for already. Your paying for the meds and for the vet to give it. It is actually possible to kil an animal if a sub cutaneous injection in administered incorrectly.

So seen as it's not rocket science do it yourself next time and see how it goes. Be prepared for local reactions, side effects and possible death.

But you know, as you say, its not rocket science

(The injections come with booklets with weight guides)

You may "know someone" but I am living with a person who will in total pay the €55,000. He is taking out the loans and it is based on OUR household. I don't need to double check any figures, it is my purse it is taken from I am the one forking out for the cost of living while he is running around studying for exams and going to labs and practicals. He says it too, there are parts to the course that are not very difficult at all, and injecting a sub cutaneous injection into a tuft of skin is one of them. He does not think 35-50 is a fair amount for the simplicity of that particular consultation.

Again my apologies, not the Blue Cross, but Dogs Trust, as I stated, I have never had to use their services myself! (thankfully)

Back OT, OP, I have paid out a lot of money recently for my rescue dog. But he is neutered, vaxed, chipped and it is actually cheaper than the cost of getting him from a breeder and he is purebred, socialised, crate trained, and it is great to be able to talk to his fosterer about anything to do with him. Not to mention he came with a crate and harness, Saved a fortune!