Why does it cost so much?

We often get asked why it costs so much to adopt a dog from us. Part of it is that we are not a government shelter and our costs are not subsidized by taxpayers. Part of it is that we do a lot for the dogs.  Everyone gets spayed or neutered, microchipped, has had their distemper/parvo, rabies, and bordetella. They are screened for heartworms, lyme, ehrlychia, and other tickborne diseases.  If there are any other health needs, such as hernia, skin condition, or anything else, we do whatever the dog needs before it leaves us. It's just expensive.


Below you will see a layout of what we did for a fairly healthy adult dog, that only had an extra hernia repair.  This is the most reasonable vet in Douglas County, and even gives us a rescue discount on vaccinations and spay/neuter. When you adopt a dog, it really pays to think about how much it costs to maintain a dog. 


Kai's vet bills:


Kai came into rescue and was taken to the vet at their first available opening.
As we do with all adult dogs we bring into rescue this is the protocol:


Rabies                                     $10  (Vaccinations have a rescue discount.)
Bordetella                                $10
DHPPCV/L4                            $10
Heartworm/Tick disease test  $35  (Negative, thank goodness!)
                                    TOTAL: $65


Since we found her NOT to be pregnant, but had a horrible hernia, we scheduled her spay and hernia repair for the next week.


Spay surgery                 $60 (BIG rescue discount - THANK YOU to Eudora!!)
Hernia repair                  $50
Rimadyl Inj (pain meds)  $21
Ampicillin (antibiotics)     $18
Rimadyl tablets (pain meds) $12
Amoxicillin caps             $18.20
                             TOTAL $179.20


Because she was not adopted quickly, we did her booster shots a month later:
Bordetella                         $10
DHPPCV/L4                    $10
                                 TOTAL: $20

TOTAL VET COSTS: $264.20

Adoption fee: $150.00

Loss on vet costs: $94.20

We also make sure she received Heartworm prevention every month ($7.35/month) and K9 Advantix ($13.83/month), so $21.18 per month.


Then, of course, we feed her. She is a 56 lb. dog eating Iams. On occasion there are donations from No More Homeless Pets KC that we can use to feed our puppies, but for the most part, we pay for all food.  At times we can go through a $35 (40 lbs. of Iams) bag of dog food in 3 days. Yes, that is over $300/month, even for a small rescue.

Total Loss on one dog: ~$94 (vet)+$42(heartguard/flea meds)+$60 (food)

=$196

This is why we are an all VOLUNTEER not-for-profit (pending non-profit 501c3) rescue that depends greatly on donations. 


Dogs are a bad investment if you are planning to retire rich. They are expensive to appropriately care for.  Late in life they will likely need expensive care, and there is a reason people use the phrase 'eating me out of house and home'. It's kind of like kids - no one ever considered kids a money making venture. If you are considering adopting from any rescue, they should at a minimum be sending you a fully vaccinated dog that is spayed or neutered (or have a deposit that it is required by a certain date). Anything else and they are pretty much selling a dog, which is not what rescue is about.

On a brighter note, you are reading a blog from Crossroads Dog Rescue. We are a foster based rescue run by stay-at-home moms that are passionate about the health and well-being of dogs.  This is not just their physical health, but their mental and emotional health too.  We bring these dogs into our homes with our families. We get to know them, show them love, fun and socialization with other dogs and children.  Can you really put a price on that?

2 Ring Circus

I truly believe Erica and I could have won America's Funniest Home Videos today.  Today was the day of taking Violet and Hershey's puppies to the vet for their check-ups, shots, and wormer.  Remember how many puppies each momma had?  Violet had 9, and Hershey had 12.  So yes, we took 21 puppies to the vet all at once.


Not only that, but we both had our youngest boys with us - Erica's son will be 2 in a couple weeks. My son is just over 3.  Great help of course!


I hauled in 2 kennels with puppies - one tiny kennel with 2 puppies, and a very large kennel with the other 10.  This wasn't such a big deal because Hershey's puppies weighed in from tiny Pepper at 3.14 lbs to the 2 big puppies (Socks and Pippin) weighing 6.8 lbs.


When it was time for Erica's puppies (remember they are part Great Pyrenees), I wish we had someone video taping us.  You see Erica was holding her son, while my son followed me to the car to bring in puppies.  We would meet at the door and trade out puppies.  The waiting room was full of other people and their furrkids observing these 2 crazy ladies, with 2 toddlers, and 21 puppies.  Violet's puppies weighed in between 10-12 lbs each and are wiggly, so you can imagine how easy they are to hold on to when you have a toddler either in the other arm, or one tugging at your pants.  I could clearly hear circus music playing around us. 


Can you picture this video in fast forward? All Erica and I needed were clown costumes!

There are no words...

Over the last couple months we have had an amazing response to our request for donations of towels, cleaning gloves, newspapers, trash bags, monetary donations, and positive thoughts and prayers.


First, I want to send a HUGE thank you to the Kanwaka 4H Club!  They chose Crossroads Dog Rescue as the recipient of their time, energy and donations, which included newspapers, trash bags, towels, blankets, and plastic gloves.  We are putting it all to good use with all the dogs and puppies we have in rescue right now!  We SO appreciate you choosing us and all that you gave.  The puppies all thank you for helping them have clean, soft and warm places to sleep.

Kanwaka 4H Club

Secondly, we want to thank Bikram Yoga of Lawrence and Kimbo Jackson.  Kimbo donated a wonderfully thick mattress pad and towels. Then she realized that we could probably use all the towels and old mats that get left at her yoga studio! Absolutely! 

Next thing we know, Bikram Yoga of Lawrence decided to give their students a 10% discount for trading in old towels and yoga mats and buying new ones from them!  We were informed today that there has been a great response!  So we both win as they are generating sales, and we are the beneficiaries of many soft towels and mats! 

AND upon pick up today, she handed me a $50 donation from one of the students!! They were not even asking for monetary donations, but WOW! Thank you SO much!

As a little teaser... We are working with Kimbo Jackson on an incredible surprise. I am so excited, so STAY TUNED for updates!

In addition to these amazing organizations, we have had many generous individual donations of towels, puppy food, and monetary donations. This is the only way that we can keep our adoption fees low, yet continue to save these precious lives.

Crossroads Dog Rescue is growing slowly, but surely. We thank each and every one of you for your support.

UNTIL EVERY NOSE HAS A HOME...