Tell SLO Sups to Not Raise Animal Adoption Fees Over 200%

If you've read the Tribune recently, you may know that San Luis Obispo Supervisors are considering raising the fee to adopt a animal from our county Animal Services.  Currently, the cost to adopt a cat or a dog is $30, and that includes microchipping and rabies vaccination.  Some of these animals are also altered by the time of adoption, but if they aren't, the new owner must have that done.
The proposed fee increase will raise the adoption fee for dogs to $95, and the fee for cats to $70.  Some local animal rescue groups may charge those kinds of fees, but our animal services division doesn't have the luxury of turning animals away.  They have to take all breeds, all temperaments, all health issues, no matter the space they have available.  They don't get to pick and choose the right dog to offer for adoption. 
By raising fees this high, the animals are being handed a death sentence.  People aren't going to pay $90 for an unaltered pit bull that's not housetrained.  People aren't going to pay $70 for a cat with an upper respiratory infection that is terrified of being in the shelter.  A small increase in adoption fees would be acceptable, but this increase is outrageous.  We need to be moving animals out of our shelter, not condemning them to live out their last days there.  We need to encourage county residents to open their home to a new furry member of their family, not make it impossible for that animal to even get their paw in the door.