Currently our Adoption fee is $550.

This fee does not cover the costs incurred from when a dog is rescued until he/she arrives in your home. Depending on where the animal is rescued, the shelter requires a pull fee ranging from $165 to $200 per dog. Vet costs now can cost up to $800 or higher depending on the amount of vet care required. This includes but is not limited to spay/neuter, heart-worm treatment, standard antibiotics, health certificates at the time of travel, etc. Then there’s the costs associated with boarding/kenneling until the dog is adopted or a foster home can be found. Finally, there is the transport cost to move the dog from the South (Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, and Alabama.) to the Northeast. With today’s fuel prices the cost ranges from $180 to $205 per dog. Let’s also keep in mind certain states require additional health checks and/or mandatory quarantine when an adopted or foster dog enters that specific state. Overall, it’s an expensive process to do the right thing and rescue these dogs.

Increases passed down from the vendors we work with, transport companies raised their prices due to rising fuel and mechanical expenses. For example, a dog transported from Texas was $180, today’s cost is $205 per dog. Boarding invoices are now averaging $600 to $800 a month higher this year from last year. Vet fees have increased almost 400%. The average vet fee in 2021 was costing around $250 per dog. Today’s cost to vet a dog is almost $800.  We are trying to absorb as much of the cost as we can.

Additional fees that may still apply:

• Microchip Fee $25 – $40 (when applicable). A registration fee may be required to be paid by the adopter when it is registered with the company.
• Massachusetts Quarantine Fee is $170 (applies to Mass residents only).
• Vet Fees which include a Wellness Exam & Health certificate (applies if you are adopting a dog in foster care).  This is mandated by all States in the Northeast prior to a dog going home.  Cost could be up to $100.
• Any Additional Fees as agreed upon between ALR and the Adopter (i.e. grooming, additional boarding, medications or heartworm or flea & tick preventatives, additional vet diagnostics as requested by adopter, etc…).