How much does it cost to adopt?

I was surprised to find out the pricing of adoption. I assume because I have never adopted before that these prices were different than what I thought.

Me:
 I thought that adopting a dog would be between $50 to $100 dollars. I thought that adopting a cat would be anywhere between $30 to $50 dollars. I assumed this included a few vaccines. I thought that they didn't give them away for free because then anyone would come and adopt. I thought if the animals were free that people would mindlessly take the animals, not be prepared, and that many of the animals would end up back in the same spot. If you pay for your animal then you most likely are willing to drop the money because you WANT the animal. If you brought it home for free you may not have the money to pay for the services it may require later on.

Shelter Worker:
 One of the workers at the shelter told me that the cost to adopt can vary. She told me that for a dog it is around $125. She said for a cat it is around $95. In order to "hold" a pet it is $25. She said the fees for other animals (like the pigs) can vary. She told me that the costs include medical exams, spay and neuter surgery, possible microchips and multiple/different immunizations. This person wanted to stay anonymous. She says that she believes that pets are not given away for free because of all of the costs that the clinic is actually spending on the pets. They wouldn't be able to run a service if they paid out of pocket for the services I previously mentioned and then gave the animals away.

Shelter Visitor:
 I am only able to go to the shelter on the cleaning hours, meaning it is not open to the public yet. Since I was not able to ask a shelter visitor I asked my co-worker was she thought. Lindsay said "All together around $150, I think a dog is a little more expensive." When I asked her about what she thinks that includes "I am pretty sure the fee is high because that is how they make their money, that is where they get their food and the cats and dogs have had their shots and essentially you are paying them for that." When I asked her why she thought they didn't give them away for free she said "I think that they do a background check because they are not just going to give away animals to people that are going to give them up. They want to make sure the animals find good homes therefore the process is more extensive. I would take the time to go through it. Although it can be difficult times it will be worth it in the end and they will understand why they are doing that process." Lindsay did not want me to list her last name but that she what she had to say about the matter.

This is the picture that I chose to represents the responses that I received. Since I was surprised by the $95 fee of a cat I thought this was a good representation of why. Each cat is individual and have their own personalities. They are living creatures that differ from one to the next. Purchasing an animal is not like purchasing a new couch that comes equipped with all of the same feature. This cat is unique, spontaneous, responsive and can do tricks...obviously! I thought the unique stance of the cat represents the uniqueness that is in every animal!