Placer SPCA Sees Success in Waiving Adoption Fees

Fifteen days of fee-waived pet adoptions fill the hearts of hundreds.

Roseville, Calif. – Adoption fees are waived for all animals, without exception, at the Placer SPCA during the month of August for its “full hearts, empty kennels” campaign. In the first fifteen days, more than 118 hearts have been filled. The kennels are yet to be emptied.
 
“It’s been an incredible month at the Placer SPCA, thanks to the generous family foundation that made this promotion possible,” said Leilani Fratis, Chief Executive Officer of the Placer SPCA. “With sixteen days left of the campaign, we hope to get those kennels empty. In a high intake month like August, however, that’s no easy feat.”
 
According to the Placer SPCA’s experience, and studies from other national organizations, fee-waived adoptions have no negative effect on the quality of care owners are able to provide, and retention rates and attachment levels are just as high as pets with standard fees.
 
“I used to be a skeptic of fee-waived adoptions myself, but I’m so glad we learned better,” Fratis said. “After pouring over studies from reputable organizations, and experiencing a fee-waived adoption campaign last December, I can tell you with confidence that love doesn’t have a price. These animals are living their happily ever after regardless of the fee their families paid.”
 
The Placer SPCA’s regular adoption fee ranges from $25 to $300, depending on the animal, and includes spay or neuter surgery, microchip, heartworm testing for dogs, vaccinations, flea prevention/treatment, feline leukemia testing for cats, and a voucher for a free veterinary exam. The actual cost of these services far exceeds the adoption fee, with private foundations and other donors underwriting the difference – the Placer SPCA does not receive funding from the ASPCA, HSUS, or any other private entity.
 
Now through August 31 while funding lasts, fee-waived adoptions will be offered at all three of the Placer SPCA’s centers: the Companion Animal Center in Roseville, Pet Adoption and Resource Center in Auburn, and Pet Food Express Cat Adoption Center in Roseville.
 
The number of adoptable animals at the Placer SPCA changes daily, officials said, with new animals consistently arriving and in need of loving, permanent homes.