Press release

For immediate release

This Monday, October 9, the Montreal SPCA to Waive Adoption Fees

Now at maximum capacity, the shelter is looking for loving homes for its animals

Montréal, October 5, 2023 — The Montreal SPCA will hold a free adoption day on Monday, October 9, 2023. Since the beginning of the year, the SPCA has taken in an average of 1,212 animals per month. The increased number of strays and the many surrenders have put the shelter at maximum capacity. To help our protégés find homes quickly, the SPCA will be waiving its usual adoption fees, but only for a day.

Waiving adoption fees: A modern practice that’s proven effective

This event aims to stir the interest of as many families as possible and help the SPCA reach new audiences. It is also a way of helping families, who can invest the fee amount in the care of their new companion.

Some people may worry that waiving adoption fees attracts families who do not have the financial means to care for an animal or that it diminishes the worth of animals. However, recent studies have shown that these beliefs are unfounded. We have been keeping an eye on what’s being done elsewhere. For instance, in the United States, “no adoption fee” and “name your price” events have been very successful. The shelters organizing these special days did not see a resulting increase in animal returns. Rather, they observed an increase in adoptions!

It’s also important to know that the adoption process is the same: our counsellors talk with interested families to ensure they will meet the desired animal’s needs or, if necessary, they suggest an animal who is better suited to the family lifestyle.

All animals put up for adoption have been examined by a veterinarian. Dogs and cats are spayed or neutered, microchipped, treated for parasites and given their first core vaccination. Dogs have also gotten their rabies shot. Rabbits are sterilized.

Of course, people are invited to make a donation if they can. Nearly 70% of the Montreal SPCA’s revenue comes from its donors. It is thanks to them that the SPCA is able to fulfill its mission to help animals in need.

Abandonment has multiple causes, but inflation is central to each

The main reasons for surrenders are moving and the difficulty in finding animal-friendly housing, the cost of veterinary care, changes in family life or the animal’s behaviour.

For successful adoptions, families need to foresee the costs of keeping their animal. According to the Association des médecins vétérinaires du Québec (AMVQ), the average annual cost of having a cat is $2,400. Caring for a dog ranges between $2,700 and $3,400, while rabbits cost $1,500 every year on average. Normal expenses include food, of course, but also annual medical check-ups, vaccinations, parasite treatments, occasional dental care and other veterinary care in case of injury or illness, boarding during vacations, grooming, accessories and toys. There are also dog and cat licences, which are mandatory in some cities and towns.

Many cats (100!), around 20 dogs and as many rabbits, some 30 small animals and numerous fishes are awaiting their second chance in life at the Montreal SPCA. The team looks forward to welcoming their future families!

No-fee adoption day at the Montreal SPCA

• When: Monday, October 9, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
• Location: Montreal SPCA, 5215 Jean-Talon St. West, Montréal, Namur metro station

Note: Families should bring ID and a carrier for all animals except dogs. Carriers can also be purchased at the shelter store.

– 30 –

Source : Montreal SPCA

Montreal SPCA public relations officer : Élodie Létourneau-Venne, Public Relations Account Manager, tök communications, 514-247-0526, elodie@tokcommunications.ca

About the Montreal SPCA
Founded in Montréal in 1869, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (now better known as the Montreal SPCA) was the first animal-welfare organization in Canada. The SPCA has come a long way since its beginnings and is today the largest animal-protection organization in Québec, speaking on behalf of animals wherever there is ignorance, cruelty, exploitation or neglect.

References :

https://www.uwsheltermedicine.com/library/resources/support-for-open-adoptions https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5742786/ https://network.bestfriends.org/education/manuals-handbooks-playbooks/adoptions-training-playbookhttps://www.maddiesfund.org/the-truth-about-free-cat-adoptions.htm