Originally Posted by hazeljane

I would like to clear up one thing- I have 5 dogs, which is alot of dog. I foster another 8 at the moment, which is way way too many. We are just in a crunch in rescue right now and there is nowhere for them to go.

So I don't actually own 13 dogs, though in another sense, the rescue, which I run, has 14 foster dogs, 8 of whom are here, and six are in other foster homes.

And yes, it is very expensive- most of the dogs we take in need complete dentals, complete shots and testing for heartworm and parasites and a spay/neuter. On average, we spend about $240- $270. on a rescue, and our adoption fee is $200. And that does not include Frontline, Heartgard, and food/bedding/toys, etc. We are a non-profit corporation, but almost half the funding for these dogs comes directly from Jim and I.

Each year, we have between 2-4 surgeries- broken bones, slipped patellas being common issues, and periodontic problems. When you wonder why a rescued animal costs as much as it does- these are some of the reasons.