What is a dogs life worth?

 

For some it is worth more than they have, for others it is the object of their ire. But for most a dogs life is valued in the return they get for caring for the dog. Simply put a dogs life is in the eye of the beholder, cherished, loved, befriended, but it can be abusive, torturous, empty of caring. The people who rescue dogs don't do it for the money they do it for the dogs. The kind of person who would put aside their life, give their wealth, their time, their sanity all for the chance to save one dogs life. Rescues save many dogs lives, but still it is not enough for many dogs die in more ways than one could imagine. 

​

For a rescue every dog is priceless and they put forth every effort to save the dog, make them whole again, and give them the chance at a decent and loving life. When we intake a dog the cost really depends on the condition of the dog. For some, not many, their condition is dire and even though money is spent in an effort to determine if the dog can survive it does not. Most dogs taken into rescue are in good health, maybe they are due to be vaccinated, spay/neutered, treated for parasites, which is pretty much standard for most but a few are in a bad health condition and after they are evaluated no expense is spared to treat their ailments and bring them back to full health. The basic cost of bringing in a healthy puppy is around $260.00 this includes full vaccination, spay/neuter, and microchipping. Of course it goes up from there if the pup has medical issues. It is similar for healthy young adults however adding heartworm testing and parasitical treatment raises the price on up to $350.00. If heartworm is detected and depending on the severity of the infestation the added cost of treatment can range from $200 to $800.00.

​

Treating health issues also takes time which requires added treatments and working with the dog to get it back to health. At the high end of cost is the dogs found in the wild who have been there for awhile and are infested with fleas, and parasites, suffering from skin disorders and physical injury. These animals take the longest to recover and costs can be into the thousands of dollars depending on the condition. As I have said earlier dogs in severely bad condition often do not survive without a large cost. Also senior dogs usually have dental issues that are treatable but at a high cost. 

​

It only goes to show that potential adopters who believe our adoption fee is too high ($350.00) typically can't afford to own a dog and if successful in adopting will most likely do more harm than good for the dog.