Adoption Fees Are A Barrier To Adoption
Every rescuer I have come across charges an adoption fee, ranging from R800 to R1,500 for a rescue dog here in South Africa, to $1,000 in the US.
This it to cover the cost of sterilisation, vaccines, flea and tick and worming treatment and sometimes, a microchip is included.
In the 8 years that I have been rescuing and re-homing dogs, I have never charged an adoption fee and I never will, this is because my only focus is on finding the perfect home.
Adoption fees are a conflict of interests and a barrier, and more than that, it doesn't even scratch the surface of the costs involved.
The person who is able to offer a perfect home to one of my rescues, is doing both me and the animal a favour, it doesn't make sense to charge them for the blessing.
Rigorous Assessment Criteria
Most rescues feel that not charging an adoption fee means that they will attract people who can't afford to have an animal, but this is not generally the case.
There will always be the odd person applying who can't afford to have an animal and who aren't a right fit, and those people will always get filtered out.
I don't advertise the fact that I don't charge an adoption fee, I simply make no mention of it, only telling people when they ask.
My criteria is so specific, that the applicants are already vastly narrowed down, and whilst occasionally someone tries their luck, the process is designed to eliminate them quickly.
I have an extremely rigorous assessment criteria which is made up of a thorough interview covering a variety of topics and scenarios, a home check and ultimately, an inner knowing and a feeling of peace in the heart.
Covering The Costs
Most rescues charge adoption fees because they feel that this is the only way that they can make money to cover the costs, and on the surface, this makes sense.
But the truth is that even charging a top line adoption fee doesn't even come close to covering the cost of most rescues, with fees that can stretch into the thousands and even tens of thousands for one animal, and the barrier far outweighs any perceived benefit.
This, combined with outdated re-homing methods that don't generate much fruit, and don't come to fruition quickly, are the reasons why so many dogs are sitting for months and sometimes years in shelters, their short lives being wasted.
And the longer that dogs are in our care, the higher the costs, and therefore, eliminating all obstacles to finding a perfect home, including learning new ways, must be sought.
Donations are always welcomed and gratefully received, but it's more beneficial to cover the costs by fund-raising at the same time as building a following, as followers, in time, bless us with funds.
Funding Crisis
Most rescues are facing a funding and homing crisis on a very large scale, and everyone is stretched extremely thin, drowning in dogs.
It is critical that rescues learn new ways as the old wine skins cannot hold the new wine and they urgently need to be replaced.
New social media techniques need to be learned and rescuers need to become proficient in a basic level of IT in order to achieve success, including writing powerful posts that speak directly to the heart of the person who can offer the perfect home.
As is often the case, rescuers wear many hats, having to do everything themselves, but staying relevant is the only way to succeed, and with so many lives in our hands, there is no option.
Unfortunately, there seems to be a reluctance, reticence and refusal to learn new ways and this is resulting in dogs not getting homes and being euthanised unnecessarily.
Faith Not Fear
Another issue is that people just don't believe that really good homes exist anymore, but this has not been my experience at all.
I don't accept good homes, I only accept the perfect home and this is something that I instinctively know following rigorous assessment.
The challenge that people are facing is that the landscape has significantly changed, but they have not changed with it and are therefore being left behind.
With God, all things are possible, but faith is not enough, it has to be combined with right action, patience and perseverance.
If people aren't getting the desired results, their faith is too small or they need to make changes to their action plan, and often it's a combination of both.
Walking In Faith
People often say that they believe in God, but their actions say something quite different.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; Jesus came that they may have life, and have it to the full. (John 10:10)
God is light, love and peace, the enemy is darkness and despair, the absence of love and fear.
Our fruits show us what frequency we are operating in and which master we are serving.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23)
Faith, Prayers, Miracles & Blessings
Since I started walking in faith, letting go of everything in order to do what was right, my life has changed beyond recognition.
And I have changed beyond recognition too.
It is a huge mistake to think that we can do anything in our own power and might, we can't, it is only by the power of the Holy Spirt and God's hand upon us. (Zechariah 4:6)
With so many precious lives in our hands and the enormous weight of the responsibility that goes with that, it is crucial that we have a solid base on which to stand.
The only way that I have found to do this very privileged endeavour, is with God by my side, going before me.
Scaling New Heights
For those who have been anointed and appointed to do this work, great things are possible if we humble ourselves and develop the mind of Christ.
Many are invited but few are chosen (Matthew 22:14, and those who do not answer the call to the degree that is required, will not be able to carry this mantle of great honour with success.
For those that do, God will throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it, and you can test Him in this. (Malachi 3:10)
I could fill multiple books with the blessings that God has poured out since I have actively sought Him and allowed Him to guide my steps and I have begun to share my testimonies on my website, stories of hope, courage, faith, provision and protection.
Every perfect home that God has ever brought me and every challenge I have ever faced, is a testimony, each story so exquisite that it defies belief, but it is only by surrendering everything, that we are truly able to see God move, and I urge you to test God in this!
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