Chicago Pet Rescue
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Adoption Fees
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The adoption fees only partially cover the cost of caring for our animals.

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The following is an idea of the costs we expect facing in the future. We are currently caring for a relatively small number of animals, but from our experience this is what we can anticipate. It's better to plan for the worst and be pleasantly surprised.

Since we are a nonprofit organization and receive NO government support, we depend solely on adoption fees and donations to operate. Although we do receive a slight discount from our vet, we DO NOT receive free vet services.

Our dogs are spayed/neutered and vaccinated.  Some dogs also require dental treatment, surgeries, heartworm/lyme treatment, etc. Our adoption fees vary, depending on the breed, gender, age of a dog, and so on. The average adoption fee for a dog is $250 and $125 for a cat.
 
You may read about higher fees for some of our "more adoptable" dogs. These fees may range from $400 to $500, but please remember you are adopting a completely vetted dog, including spaying/neutering, a heartworm/lyme test, all shots and known behavior history from the foster home. Yes, you can find a purebred puppy in the paper for the same price (from a backyard breeder, as no truly reputable breeder would ever need to advertise in the paper), but then you also incur hundreds of dollars of vet costs within the first year—so it all balances out nicely!  You also have the satisfaction of donating to a cause that is known for taking in special-needs dogs, such as heartworm-positive dogs, surgery dogs, dogs in need of rehab.  The adoption fees help pay for all of these services.

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Trust us when we say that we break even during a good week, but more often, we lose money.  To us, we are repaid when when we see the thanks in our animals' eyes.  

Please support rescue efforts with your dollars instead of the backyard breeders who contribute to the problem. True, our fees are higher than other rescues/shelters, but please keep in mind that we also take in the "true rescues of rescue," not just the perfectly healthy animals. Some pets needed a great deal of extra vet work and other behavioral training or boarding.

To give you an idea of the costs for the medical treatment, equipment, food, etc. that an animal requires, here are the average costs that Chicago Pet Rescue pays. Operating expenses are also included. 

Items in bold are our most common expenses:

  • Food: The dogs eat 20 - 25 pounds of dog food per day
  • Monthly Vet Bills: $1,00 - $2,000
  • Vaccinations: (Rabies, Distemper Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, ParvoVirus, & CoronaVirus) for dogs 6-months of age and older: $30-$45 per dog
  • Heartworm/lyme Test: $18 each per dog
  • Spaying/Neutering: (The weight of the dog enters into the cost) $165 and up for spays; $150 and up for neuters per dog
  • Panacur: (Dewormer): $30 (per dog)
  • Revolution: (Prevents heartworm, fleas, mites, & ticks) $12 per dog
  • Heartgard: In spring and summer, we spend at least $200 per month
  • Impound Fees: $50-$100 per dog, depending on how many days the animal was at the pound
  • Crates/Kennels: $30-$150 (varies by brand and size) 
    We use the wire crates, which cost much more than the plastic ones, but we've found that they last much, much longer and work better for adoptions. We have more large dogs than small, so often have to buy the large or extra large crates. With crates you get what you pay for, so we buy the better brands because they are sturdier. If you know anything about wire crates, you know how expensive the large and extra large crates cost!
  • Leashes: $6-$25 per leash, depending on the length and material
  • Collars: $5-$15 per collar, depending on size and material
  • Harnesses: $8-$16, depending on size
  • Rawhides: $40-$80 per month
  • Printing Costs: $100 per year.  Printing costs include contracts, info sheets, CPR brochures, etc.
  • Transport Costs: $15-$60 per transport
  • Miscellaneous: $50 per month

We also pay for these special services:

  • Heartworm Treatment: Anywhere from $250 -$500 per dog.  The average cost is $350.
  • Kennel Cough Medication/Antibiotics: $40 -$300, depending on severity of the strain (per dog)
  • Dental: $200 + $25 per tooth. A majority of the puppy mill survivors require $300+ in dental treatment per dog.
  • Invasive Spaying/Neutering: (such as spaying during a heat cycle or removing undescended testicles) up to $300
  • Mange Treatment: $75-$500  If treatment costs more than this, we do a fund-raiser for that particular dog.
  • Remove/Biopsy Tumors: $150-$300, depending on the size of the tumor, location, and other circumstances
  • Surgeries: Hundreds to thousands of dollars
  • Groomers: $50-$75, depending on the size of the dog and the how extreme the case is. Sometimes the dogs that come from the pounds or puppy mills are in such filthy condition, and their fur is so matted that it is literally impossible for us to properly groom the dogs ourselves.
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Our Average Current Adoption Fees:

Adoption fees help offset the cost of veterinary expenses and pet supplies used to care for rescued pets.  If you are interested in adopting a rescued pet and would like information about our “Adoptions for All” program, please email us at savinganimals@chicagopetrescue.org.  If you can't adopt, please donate!

Puppies, 1 year old and under 

standard adoption
$325

Cats, 3 years old and under 

standard adoption
$125

Dogs, over 1 to 7 years old

standard adoption
$275

Cats, over 3 years old

standard option
$100

Senior Dogs, 7+ years old

senior years program
$250

Senior Cats, 7+ years old

senior years program
$85

Special Needs Dogs

special needs program
$200

Special Needs Cats

special needs program
$65

Learn about adopting from CPR
Learn about our adoption process
Read about our post-adoption follow-up
Contact us
Our mailing address is:                       WE DO NOT HAVE A PHONE NUMBER​
​ P.O. Box 31946 Chicago IL 60631                       Copyright © 2022  All Rights Reserved
Photos used under Creative Commons from ginnerobot, Perfecto Insecto