May 22, 2011
Consider costs before adopting a petBY MARY WICOFF Commercial-News The Commercial-News Sun May 22, 2011, 04:05 AM CDT
DANVILLE — That puppy or kitten is cuddly and cute, but it also requires a commitment of time and money. The bottom line is: Owning a pet is a big responsibility.
“If you can’t afford a dog, you shouldn’t be a pet owner,” said JoAnn Adams, director of the Humane Society of Danville.
Besides food and shelter, a pet owner needs to provide vaccinations, health checkups, preventative treatment (for heartworms, for example) and a city license, and also allow for medical emergencies. Owners are strongly encouraged to get dogs and cats spayed or neutered, as well.
Sharon Richardson, a volunteer with CARA — Citizens for Animal Rescue and Adoption — said potential owners should ask themselves if they have the time and money to care for a pet.
“You need to think it through from beginning to end when you’re getting a pet,” she said. Sometimes the kids talk a parent into adopting a pet, but reality sets in later as the pet gets older.
Nancy Gulick, a volunteer with the Vermilion County Animal Shelter, agreed that feeding a dog or cat isn’t enough. If a person can’t commit to that animal, he or she should reconsider.
Diana Bryant, president of the county shelter’s foundation, said it’s not fair to the pet when an owner can’t take care of it, especially when there’s a medical problem or an emergency.
All three shelters want pets to go to good homes, and they want the match to work. If money is tight, there are options.
Spay/neuterSpaying female dogs and cats and neutering male dogs and cats helps cut down on the pet over-population problem. There are other benefits, including an improvement in the animal’s health and temperament.
Both CARA and the Vermilion County Animal Shelter Foundation offer low-cost spay/neuter programs.
--To set up an appointment through CARA, call 655-4353 or 799-8858; its website is
http://www.caraillinois.com . In the past two years, the shelter has taken 2,000 dogs and cats to surgery.
--To set up an appointment through the county’s Foundation, call 431-0332; its website is
http://vcasf.org/At the Danville Humane Society, a pet that is adopted gets a reduced cost on spay/neuter at local veterinarians’ offices. The cost is $75 for female dogs and cats; $55 for male dogs; and $40 for male cats.
VaccinationsThe county has rabies clinics set up on June 4: 8:30-11 a.m., Georgetown city garage; 9-10:30 a.m., Rossville old fire station; and 9-10:30 a.m., Sidell Village Hall.
Cost is $17 for the shots; the cost for tags is extra, and is higher for dogs and cats that are not spayed or neutered.
The shelter also will offer microchips for $15 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 11 at the shelter on the Catlin-Tilton Road.
CARA also offers rabies shots for $12, and other vaccinations (see its website for prices).
Other help
Instead of automatically taking an animal to a shelter, pursue other options.
Richardson said, “Don’t do the easy thing (right away). Make an effort to find a home for it. Talk to your friends and family and try to find a home for this pet.” Use social networks on the Internet, as well.
CARA volunteers have pets up for adoption every Saturday at Big R, and they’d be glad to help a responsible owner “market” his pet.
Also, if an animal has a behavioral problem, don’t give up on it, she said.
“Try to make it work. Identify the problem and fix it,” Richardson said, adding there is a lot of information on the Internet about training.
Consider rescue sites for your dogs, as well. The county shelter works with numerous sites across the country.
The county shelter’s foundation sometimes has adoptions at the Village Mall on Saturdays.
Vet billsThe following tips were found at
http://www.wisebread.com/best-money-tips-get-help-with-vet-bills1. Start with your vet. Some vets may offer a payment plan for existing customers with good track records. Your vet also may let you defer the payment for a later date or offer a discount.
2. Look for a cheaper alternative. If your pet isn’t facing a life-threatening crisis, take a day or two to do some price comparison shopping. Some animal-rescue or welfare groups offer low-cost services for vaccinations and spay/neutering procedures.
3. Contact a veterinary college, some of which offer discounted services to people in need. Most of these services include routine checkups, vaccinations, and small procedures, such as neutering or spaying. However, they may not be able to help if your pet has a serious illness or injury. The University of Illinois has a College of Veterinary Medicine; call 333-2760 or visit
http://vetmed.illinois.eduPurdue University has a School of Veterinary Medicine; (765) 494-7607; http://www.vet.purdue.edu
4. The American Animal Hospital Association offers help for vet bills through a grant program known as the Helping Pets Fund http://www.aahahelpingpets.org/grant_guidelines.html . You can use grants to cover the cost of all veterinary services. But you can’t apply for a grant directly — your vet will have to apply on your behalf.
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