Why does everyone thing shelter dogs?

Question

Come with ALL their vacinations and spayed/neutered?

It really depends on your local shelter- my dog came with NOTHING done. But his neuter was paid for from the adoption fee. Even with that paid I still spent $130 on shots, tests, and preventatives at the vet.

I'm not complaining- i just keep reading 'adopt and it'll have all it's shots, be fixed etc'. Maybe if you have a great shelter- but in a rural area- probably not.

I am not complaining- I love my dog and would spend whatever money I needed to on him.

BUT

I think it's a bad idea for everyone on here to go around saying shelter dogs come with everything done- because alot of the time they DON'T. So people should know when they go to a shelter never to assume shots have been done or that the dog won't need vet care.

I didn't mind the vet bill- but some people might and I want them to know before going that in rural areas the dogs will be au-natural (which is awful in a sense- kennel cough or parvo just waiting to happen)

The vet didn't do anything bad. I was charged for the visit. All his vaccinations, his heartworm test, his preventative (heartworm, flea, and tick), and deworming.

I am a student- I am finally going to be getting a job in Sept and have $50,000 in loans to payback. I wish I could help a shelter financially- but I can't. Other than by not adding to their problems (putting dogs their) and by giving them my $75 adoption fee.

I would have rather paid more to the pound and not had to worry about baby having hearworms, or parvo, or the ticks he was covered in. Maybe I am one of the few though- I don't know.

My main point was to let people know that shelters don't always give dogs shots, neuters etc.

Answer 1

You're right - some shelters, especially shelters in rural area, are frequently too under funded to provide all of the necessary routine veterinary care to their animals. However, shelters don't cut corners if they don't have to and most shelters in large cities provide their animals with routine veterinary care.

Answer 2

Wow! Talk about screwed up in the head! Mixed breed dogs are not "screwed up in the head". It is much more likely for that to happen to purebred dogs because of inbreeding. You have no idea what you are talking about. Whew! Had to clarify that.
Most rescue shelters do the best they can to get the animals everything they need. The shelter in your town may be short of funds and doing everything in their financial power right now. It is unfortunate that they can't do more, but $$ and volunteers only stretch so far. It is great that you rescued a shelter dog and gave it a good home, and kudos to you for bringing it to the vet and making sure it had a chance at a great life with you. We need more responsible pet owners like you in the world. Maybe when your financial burden is less you might consider donating some time or funds to your local shelter to help them save even more lives. Til then, keep up in the belief that shelters across the country are doing everything they can.

Answer 3

I've never said anything about 'shelter dogs' but THANK YOU to the people who adopt them ... but I'm not surprised at your 'question' ... but I think I can give you a good answer. Since most 'rescue dogs' are PUREBRED people assume that they've gotten their shots and are fixed ... but the TRUTH is that these dogs have been RESCUED, and you don't 'rescue' any animal from a 'really good home' 90% of the time. Rescue dogs are 'good' to adopt because they've been ABUSED or NEGLECTED, have not been given their shots, fixed, and in some cases even taught proper 'housetraining.' I'm glad that there are people like you who can and do adopt rescue dogs and take them to the vet to be checked out ... it's people like you who give me hope that this world isn't 'going downhill on skis' ... so THANK YOU for adopting your dog ... and to everyone else who is thinking about adopting a 'rescue' dog ... they do need 'more upkeep' than most 'new' dogs (like anything 'secondhand' that may not have been treated very well) but they will LOVE YOU for giving them a good home ... and THAT is worth far more than the money you'll have to spend to make sure your dog is healthy ... YOU provide the happiness and love!

Answer 4

Adopting is great if you don't care what kind of dog you get. I personally am allergic to the lab/pit mix that is in every shelter. The problem is that a lot of these people at the shelter will tell you anything to get you to adopt a dog. I payed $400 for my Schnauzer Schnauzer, and he came healthy with shots.Plus I know what kind of dog he is. My friend brought home a puppy that was suppose to be a boarder collier. Well the dog is everything but. It sounds stupid to speak about an animal like a car or property. But I looked at a lot of dogs before getting mine. Their are so many dogs that messed up just from birth. From people not being responsible for their pets, and neutering/spaying. Lab/Retrievers a breed I would never have, are screwed up from this process. Putting my personal believes side of the breeds. They good dogs, but they are interbreed now. That many are scewed up in the head.

Answer 5

Most shelters do give them all their shots and spay/neuter. It also depends on the age of the dog. I did adopt one that was too young for shots. They wanted to get it out of the shelter to be in a better environment, then they just paid for the spay. I do want to stress though that most national shelters such as the Humane Society and other will no matter where you are. It doesn't have to be a great shelter. I don't know what shelter you went to but I have been to MANY thorughout my life and worked at many as well and this is what I have found.

Answer 6

Adopting dogs is great. You have done a good thing. I hope you and your dog are happy together. Having a dog though does cost: Insurance, Food, Vet Bills, Doggie Toys and leads etc.

They should help out more but I guess the shelters only have a certain budget. I guess the financial cost involved in owning a dog should be one of the first considerations for taking the dog on or not. all the best.

Answer 7

You should complain!!

Never pay for a dog at a shelter or rescue without any vetting done.

Many times a vet may screw you on things "tests" that don't need to be done. Always check with where you got the pet. However; I am finding more "backyard rescues" taking money and nothing done with pet.

Preventative are your responsibility never a rescue or shelter but any tests should have been performed. No animal rescuer should ever allow a pet to go anywhere unaltered. Its too easy to do them at six weeks.

Answer 8

Animals in general are going to cost money even if you think everything is done...it never is, they are like humans when it comes to health, they have to have flea and tick meds and heartworm prev. food, bed, toys, and the list grows all the time... (just like with humans)

Some places the animals DO come with the first shots (puppy) and older dogs a lot of the time will come fixed. At the pound YOU have to pay to have them fixed, and if you dont, you have to take them back!
At a rescue or something like that, most of the time they will have it done already. But like I said, They will still need more shots and vet care yearly..

Answer 9

A dog is and should be a big financial commitment. If you can't handle the costs of keeping a dog healthy, then you shouldn't get one.

Answer 10

Shesh. What a whiner.

So your shelter isn't able to provide anything? Well, then why aren't you donating, volunteering, advocating, etc. etc. etc. - so it CAN provide these necessary services?

Or do you simply like to sit on the sidelines and complain?