LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Hamlet, a gray and white pit bull mix, wines and presses his nose against the glass of his cage at the Animal Foundation. Soon, he could find a "furever home," during the Totally 80s Adoption Event on Wednesday. The Animal Foundation is waiving adoption fees on all large, adult dogs.
The Animal Foundation reports that owner surrender numbers are not up in comparison to the past five years, with the exception of the year 2020, in which the owner surrender rate was difficult to measure due to the pandemic.
However, the cost of owning a pet has gone up because of inflation. According to PetFoodIndustry.com, they reported seeing a 6 percent increase. The American Pet Product Association reported that Americans spent $123.6 billion on pets, which has increased by $20 billion since last year. More than $50 billion was spent on food. After food, medical and veterinarian care was listed. In 2021, Americans spent more than $34 billion in this sector.
Depending on the health of a dog or cat, the report stated that the annual expense for a dog's or cat’s basic needs is $1,500 for a dog and about $900 for a cat.
Basic needs include food, treats, vet visits, medical costs, toys and grooming.
The Animal Foundation suggests pet lovers consider fostering a pet before committing to adoption.
This gives families a chance to see what it’s like to have an animal in the home.
Fosters give the animals a break from the shelter, and families can foster for a day to several weeks in order to fit different schedules.
A pet financial assistance program is also offered. The Keeping Every Person and Pet Together (KEPPT) program provides the financial help owners might need to pay for things like pet food, veterinarian care, or even helping a pet parent make a deposit on a new apartment so that the renter doesn't have to give up the pet when moving.
Wednesday's pet adoption event starts at 11am. Thanks to a donation from Foundation XNL, the organization is waiving adoption fees for all large, adult dogs on Wednesday, May 18. Dogs must be six months or older and over 30 pounds to qualify for the promotion. A $10 license fee may apply. Adoptions take place on a first-come, first-served basis for walk-in traffic. During fee-waived adoption events, patrons will often line up before opening. Prospective pet parents will be added to a waiting list upon arrival. Depending on volume, there may be a wait to meet a pet, or the waiting list may be full for the day.
