High pet adoption costs?

Good day, to whom it may concern, management and staff SPCA

That your organisation does a vital service to the community is true, I fully agree with that. The streets would definitely be more full of stray animals if your organisation did not exist. My hat goes off especially but not limited to the volunteers and others who goes beyond the call of duty willing to go the exstra mile for these animals, to ensure their survival where applicable and to otherwise let them die with dignity as necessary.

The only complaint if you could call it that is the adoption fee. I have happily got enough space for another meduim to big sized dog. But I find it ridiculous that i could buy a animal as a puppy for cheaper that i can adopt one. One thing that is commonly stated over and over by yourselves and other similar organisations is that its better to adopt and to rather adopt since that way backyard breeders will become less popular and eventually hopefully die out. I also understand the point that adopting a animal means that at that time of adoption it is believed to be in good health, spayed or neutered, and all injections are up to date.

I believe though that for the normal person on the street, low to middle income to pay R710 up to R1000 (which certain organisations are charging for adoption) is a bit out of the budget, this is people like myself that only wants a pet for the kids to play with, learn responsibility and because of our love of animals want to care for it.

I know that most of these organisations are non profit or even non goverment subsidised but i believe that at least the spaying neutering cost should be attributed to goverment subsidisation, so that the R400/R500 saving can be passed onto those that wants to adopt but can not justify giving such a large percentage of their monthly income away. Before this matter is addressed properly i can not foresee that more and more people will adopt; rather they will buy the cute puppy from the guy next door for R300/R400 because in the end its simply about economics, price and affordability.

If there is a way or if their is a more subsidised option price wise please do let me know, I will happily adopt one more at a reduced rate.