Kansas Humane Society: Waived Adoption Fees for Adult Cats Compiled by ASPCA and distributed to the field, February 2009. Visit the ASPCA National Outreach website for animal welfare professionals: www.aspcapro.org.
Kansas Humane Society: Waived Adoption Fees for Adult Cats In an effort to reduce the number of stray and owner relinquished adult cats being euthanized for lack of cage space, the Kansas Humane Society (KHS) waives adoption fees for all cats over nine months of age. Stats KHS began waiving adoption fees for adult cats in August of 2005. Between 2005 and 2007, the live release rate* for adult cats increased from 19.5% to 32.6%. In the same period, the number of adult cat adoptions increased from 613 to 940. *The live release rate is the percentage of animals entering the shelter that are successfully adopted or reunited with their owners. How Cool is That? KHS rejects the conventional wisdom that waiving adoption fees for adult cats devalues the animals. In fact, they take the opposite view that their willingness to give up fee income to save the lives of adult cats proves just how much they care. Adopt or Adapt Waiving adoption fees for adult cats can be implemented very quickly and begins saving lives instantly. Another free resource for animal welfare professionals from www.aspcapro.org 2 of 5
Who They Are and What They Do In 2005, the open-admission Kansas Humane Society was facing serious staff morale issues over the number of adult cats that had to be euthanized for lack of cage space. Searching for a way to send the staff a lifeline, Director of Shelter Operations Karla Hartlep investigated a program at the Wisconsin Humane Society that involved waiving adoption fees for adult cats. When she shared what she learned with the staff, they immediately wanted to give this radical concept a try. The challenge was to convince senior management to give up compensation for the care given to the cats before adoption. To get their point across, the staff put together a collage of 396 cat photos representing the 396 cats euthanized for lack of space in just one month. Management was sold. The following month, KHS began waiving the $95 fee on all cats over eight months of age every day of the year. The fee waiver is announced on the website. Donations are requested, but, according to Hartlep, seldom given. Kitten fees remain at $95. No changes have been made in the adoption process, which is designed to make good matches so that animals go to loving, responsible, permanent homes. According to Hartlep, there is no evidence that waiving fees has devalued the cats adopted from the shelter or compromised the reputation of the organization. Ingredients and Prep Work Timeline It took just one month to get the program started. Costs Hartlep says it s difficult to measure the financial impact of the fee waiver program although she observes that adoption income overall has not gone down. To offset some of the lost cat adoption fees, a decision was made to raise the fees substantially for the most desirable dogs, such as purebred puppies. The bottom line, she says: we re not here to make money. Step by Step Step 1: Do your research. Hartlep investigated a fee waiver program at the Wisconsin Humane Society. Step 2: Get management on board. Hartlep and the shelter staff were eager to try waiving fees. The trick, according to Hartlep, was getting senior management to give up the cat adoption income. The decision to put together the photo collage was a graphic way to let senior management see what the staff was dealing with on a daily basis and to understand that It isn t about the money. Step 3: Develop your message and make sure everyone is speaking the same language. At KHS, staff decided they felt more comfortable talking in terms of waived fees rather than free cats. They developed talking points detailing what the adoption fees cover tests, vaccinations, spay/neuter surgery to help the public understand the level of care given to the cats prior adoption. Their goal was to reinforce the value the organization puts on the animals and to elevate their cats above free cats available through the newspaper. Another free resource for animal welfare professionals from www.aspcapro.org 3 of 5
Step 4: Just do it. Hartlep encourages any agency to try waiving fees for adult cats. She advises starting with a pilot project to measure the impact on the organization s revenue stream. She also advises to make it clear to the staff that, if it doesn t work, they can try something else. Her final word: Take the leap! What are you waiting for? Results The Numbers Since the fee waiver program was instituted, the number of adult cats adopted has jumped from 613 to 940 (53%). The Live Release Rate for adult cats has increased from 19.5% to 32.6%. In addition, Hartlep reports, staff morale has soared as the number of adoptions has increased and the need to euthanize adoptable adult cats for lack of cage space has diminished. The staff are proud to say the fee is waived, Hartlep reports. It sends a message that we care about older cats too not just the cute cuddly kittens. Critical Factor Hartlep cites not making any change in the organization s careful adoption process as a critical factor for staff, adopters, and cats. According to Hartlep, the process makes it clear to adopters that they are taking on a life-long commitment to an animal that is highly valued by the organization. Thinking Outside the Box It took courage to challenge the traditional view that failing to charge fees for adult cat adoptions would devalue the animals. Staff concern about the number of adult cats dying in the shelter made it worth a try, and adhering to a carefully thought out adoption process minimized the risk. According to Hartlep, KHS has seen no evidence that animals adopted with fees waived are valued any less than animals whose adopters paid a fee. They have had virtually no criticism from the community. Words of Wisdom What Worked Responding to the concerns of the staff by letting them try something new to save animal lives has resulted in success all around. According to Hartlep, the program has been a delight for the staff. Not only are staff energized by the increase in cat adoptions, the waived adoption fee also makes interactions with potential adopters more positive. Hartlep says, It s so much better to tell people that the adoption fee has been waived rather than listening to them ask why they should pay $95 for a cat at the a shelter when they can get one for free out of the paper. Another free resource for animal welfare professionals from www.aspcapro.org 4 of 5
Thumbnail Sketch: Kansas Humane Society 4218 Southeast Blvd. (K-15) Wichita, KA 67210 316.524.9196 www.kshumane.org Founded in 1888, the Kansas Humane Society (KHS) is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to ending the euthanasia of healthy and treatable animals in the Wichita area. KHS finds homes for over 6,000 animals a year. KHS also operates the Prevent a Litter (PAL) low-cost spay/neuter program for those who cannot afford full fees; Project Companionship, which brings the joy of animals back into the lives of nursing home residents; and a full agenda of education programs. Staff 44 full time and 5 part time Operating Budget $2.5 million Business Type 501(c)(3) non-profit Another free resource for animal welfare professionals from www.aspcapro.org 5 of 5