DALLAS — In an effort to try and move more dogs and cats into loving homes, the Dallas City Council Wednesday approved a reduction in adoption fees at the animal shelter for certain people and events.
After the shelter euthanized 26,000 animals last year, the hope is that a financial incentive will get more pets placed.
But some animal advocates say the fee incentive doesn't go far enough.
In retail, stores drop prices to increase demand. So the City of Dallas is trying the adoption fee incentive that animal shelters in other cities have used successfully.
"We think this just sweetens the deal, basically, to be able to offer discounts under certain circumstances to try to increase the volume of animals we can adopt," said Assistant City Manager Joey Zapata.
The City Council approved dropping the fee for dogs from $85 to $43 and for cats from $55 to $27. The reduced fees apply to seniors, animals older than six, and also for certain events during the year.
Last year, the city said some 2,500 dogs and cats were adopted, and it hopes the fee incentive will increase that to 3,000.
But the Chairman of the Animal Shelter Commission, Skip Trimble, thinks the Council should have gone further.
"It seems to me that just setting a standard that can't ever be flexible would not be as good as having a flexible approach," he said.
Trimble thinks when there are a lot of dogs and cats available, the city should drop the fee, or reduce it for handicapped or injured animals that would still be good pets.
"Let it have discretion with the director so they could address the situation as it comes up," Trimble suggested.
The Animal Shelter Commission is make up of citizens appointed by the City Council to offer advice on running the animal shelter.
But the city was reluctant to give too much financial control to one person, so the reduced fees will be offered eight times a year, according to Zapata.
"We find them and time them to the seasons, to the holidays, that sort of thing," he said.
The new fee schedule is effective now.
E-mail bwatson@wfaa.com
