Write a check, save a dog or cat.
That's the message from the Redlands Animal Shelter, where officials are seeking donations to subsidize the cost of spaying and neutering shelter animals before they are released to adoptive owners.
"By keeping the cost of adopting a pet reasonable, we have encouraged hundreds of adoptions," Police Chief Jim Bueermann said in a written statement. "These are animals that have been taken off the streets and placed in loving homes."
Last year, the shelter found homes for 635 dogs and 541 cats, according to the statement. This year, 570 dogs and 446 cats went to adoptive owners by Nov. 1.
To reduce the number of unwanted pets, all animals adopted from the Redlands Animal Shelter are spayed or neutered before they are released to new owners. But adoption fees paid by new owners cover only a portion of the surgery costs. Those costs vary from $32 to neuter a cat to more than $100 to spay a large dog.
To encourage adoptions, the shelter has continued to keeps its fees at $63 for dogs and $37 for cats. Seniors and disabled persons pay a lower fee.
"The shelter spends an estimated $1,000 a month or more covering the cost of the surgery beyond the fees charged," according to the statement. "Last year, many of these costs were covered by generous community donations."
Donations are tax deductible. To make a donation or to obtain more information, call the shelter at 909-798-7644.
