Why We Waive
We at the AWLA are a dedicated, passionate group of animal lovers who want to make sure we are doing the most we can every day for the animals in our care. We want to provide them with the very best while they are with us and do everything we can to find them families that love them just as much as we do. That’s one of the reasons why we waive our adoption fees so we can Clear Our Shelter.
Some people ask about the rationale of waiving adoption fees. “If someone can’t afford adoption fees, how can they afford to care for a pet?” is a common question we hear. In our experience, we have found that most people aren’t participating in Clear the Shelters because of the no-cost adoptions; rather, it’s a movement to find homes for as many shelter animals as possible, and it helps remind people that you can find amazing and wonderful pets at your local shelter. August 17 becomes an event where members of our community celebrate their ability to help animals in need and improve their own lives in the process. We would not say that most of the people who stop by the AWLA during Clear the Shelters as “unable to afford pets,” but many ARE from communities with whom we may not regularly connect, and this expansion of our audience is a great opportunity to help more animals.
Additionally, studies have shown that animals adopted through fee-waived adoption events like Clear the Shelters are NOT returned at a rate higher than our usual “paid adoption” surrenders. You can read more about some of these studies HERE and HERE. Similarly, animals adopted from these types of events have not been shown to be maltreated or neglected at greater rates than average, though we of course strive for that number to be at 0%, no matter what the adoption circumstances.
While adoption fees may be waived during Clear the Shelters, our adoption policies and guidance are not. We meet with every potential adopter to get to know them and their lifestyle, to make sure we are making a strong match and setting everyone up for success. We provide tips and guidance on how to introduce new pets to the home, to other family members and to resident pets, and we follow up with adopters to see how their new best friend is settling in and provide them with access to the AWLA behavior hotline to address any issues they might be having.
And finally, we know that sometimes, through no one’s fault, adoptions might not work out. You might discover an adopted cat does not like the resident dog, or that Grandma is unexpectedly allergic to rabbits – who knew? We encourage people to work with us if they are having issues around an adoption, but if those issues cannot be addressed, we invite them to surrender the pet back to us, following Clear the Shelters and every other day of the year. We’d rather make the right match for everyone — both people and pets — than for everyone to live in adverse circumstances that could easily be remedied.
While we know that life can sometimes bring unexpected situations, we believe that people from all walks of life and throughout all stages of life are capable of loving and caring for pets. For this reason, we offer a number of programs to help support pets and their owners during difficult times, with the ultimate goal of keeping pets in the homes where they are loved. For more information about these programs or if you have questions about caring for your pet, please contact us.
Clear the Shelters, other fee-waived adoption events and even individual Adopt It Forward-sponsored adoptions help us connect more animals with families who love them. Every animal should have the opportunity to have a family, and every family who wants to should get the chance to have a pet. During Clear the Shelters and all year long, we are proud to make that dream come true for hundreds of pets and people, whether that’s helping them meet their new best friend or lending a hand so animals can stay in the homes where they are loved.
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If you have questions about the AWLA’s “Why We Waive” statement, please contact us at 703-746-4774 or connect@alexandriaanimals.org.