I think price reductions are a good thing from time to time. Some of the greatest pet owners are the poorer owners. They deserve a chance to get a pet.

Unfortunately I have to disagree...I don't have a problem with it at all. However, that could be because I'm very familiar with CAHS and think they're probably one of the best shelters out there. Nonetheless, I see other shelters do this all the time with black cats, and I don't think I've heard anyone gripe about it. The whole point (as you mentioned) is PR and education, and hopefully finding these kitties a good home. So in the end, I think it's worth it!

I'm unsure how I feel about this.

While it's great to allow lower income humans the chance to adopt from the shelter, does it lower the value of the cat in the human's eyes? Will it make the cat more disposable if it becomes inconvenient?

I'll look forward to comments throughout the day.

I have always been dirty poor, whether I got them for free-most were strays. It never lowered their value in my eyes. Now when I was married, My x was constantly getting fired and eventually I had to let go of my beloved pets. That was 20 years ago. I am still living below the poverty line. A son who helps me out when needed, including our pets. The first place i hit when my check comes in is the pet store to by them the expensive grain free food they need.I have four dogs small variety, and one formally feral one eyed old kitty named "Hoodie" They have all been fixed-i get shots when the specials are run.

I agree the discounting of animals is not appropriate. Megan I have to disagree: CAHS does not do a good job with the cats/dogs in their care. Many cats are summarily euthanized for having a respiratory infection, or simply sneezing.
What happens when a financially strapped owner faces a costly medical issue with a pet? Our cat needed thousands of dollars in specialty medical care...had we not been fortunate enough to afford it, he would either be a suffering sick cat, or another cat over the rainbow bridge.
I"m not against discounts, but I know reliably what a highly funded, poorly run shelter Capital Area Humane Society is...

I disagree with this. The shelter where I volunteer (a lot) has specials all the time. We have featured black cats, calico cats, orange cats, adult cats (as opposed to kittens), hound dogs, older dogs. . . This is an effort to draw attention to animals that are often overlooked, and it doesn't mean that they are in any way less worthy of a good home. We haven't done fat cats yet, but I wouldn't rule it out.

I have observed, with both dogs and cats, that adopters will snatch up emaciated/very thin animals. They seem to experience an overwhelming urge to take these animals home and "make them healthy." They do not have the same urge to quickly adopt obese animals, even though they need care just as much.

Yes this might be a PR stunt, but the people who adopt these cats just might have more time to help reduce the cats weight than the shelters have. I know from experience because I rescued a over weight 5 year old male cat when I took him to the VET for an exam he weighed 18lbs. After 2 years of working with him he now weighs 12lbs and is very healthy.

These cats need to find homes quickly so that they can get more personalized attention. Although I applaud their efforts to trim down the cats who are severely overweight, shelters don't usually have the time or resources necessary to get these cats down to a good size. Hopefully this will help get them into good homes where they can do pilates and eat a well-balanced kitty diet.

Click on this link - you won't regret it :D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4fVsSejI4Q

Awesome.

Priceless!!! :)

I also respectfully disagree. I've noticed that the longterm cats at our local Humane Society are usually overweight. I think this is because they spend so much time in their small cages and don't get enough exercise. My Patrick was pretty chubby when I got him and has now trimmed down quite a bit. I actually got him after one of my kitties died and it just so happened that it was during a "sale" at our shelter, I think I got him for $25. I just spent $450 saving him from a serious infection, so money wasn't the deciding factor. It did however influence me to get an older cat. I'll always adopt older pets now because they are grown so you know their personality better!

I don't think asking lower prices makes an animal less likely to be loved and cared for. Not everyone has a lot of money but will scrape together what they can to care for their pet. If that means the cat can't have very expensive treatment that is too bad but I think a life time of love is worth something too. I don't think taking children away from poor parents because they would have better medical care in a rich home is reasonable either. As long as people do the best they can for their families, animal and otherwise, that's not bad.

A large shelter in the city where I live has just wrapped up a month of discounts on adoption fees for adult/mature cats, and it seems to have been a successful adoption drive. But it was couched as such, a drive, not a sale. I don't think I have any issues with that. For most people who want to adopt, I suspect the $25 or $50 savings at the time of adoption isn't really the thing that pushes them to adopt this cat now; it's more the recognition that if the shelter is offering the discount, then they really need to place those cats, which would tip the person who'd been thinking about adopting into actually doing it.

Take a look at some science on the subject!
http://www.maddiesfund.org/resource_library/the_truth_about_free_cat_adoptions.html

it goes against doctrine, but free, discounted old cats, fat cats, black cats, multiple cats, too-long-on-the-shelf cats apparently works to get them into good homes. It doesn't mean you ALSO bypass your normal application process, and personal and vet references.

Perhaps getting a "bargain" makes it worth going through the application process, and having the spca sit in judgment of your pet history.

For small rescues it's a hardship - we like to get at least some of our expenses back on adoptions. People will spend a fortune on the cat tree, the litterbox, the toys - we'd like to see some of that $$ to pay for the vaccines, the spay/neuter, the parasite treatments...

Dr. Khuly,

It has taken me some time, but now I finally understand. I am truly sorry for being so slow on the uptake. Moralizing for you is as much a part of your make up as your DNA. You just cannot help yourself.

Discounted adoption fees, two-for-one "sales," even "free" adoptions have been used with awesome effectiveness by shelters all over the country, and as long as the screening process is the same as for "normal" adoptions, with the same long-term success rate.

It just gets the pets out the door and into forever homes faster. And given the kill rate for cats in shelters, I'm not sure why anyone would object to it on grounds of "it's icky." Which, really, is all I can make of your objection.

I am very familiar with this shelter. They are a very well run organization with a wonderful staff and volunteers. They have creatively found an alternative way to promote their special needs animals "The Fat Cats". This promotion is a great way to increase foot traffic into the shelter and generate more adoptions.

For those who are criticizing the "Fat Cat Promotion" - What do you think happens to the fat cats at other shelters who are overwhelmed with cat overpopulation? I really do not know the answer. However, I do know through this promotion CAHS is saving lives.

Kudos to CAHS!

I'd really like to know how this promotion turned out for CAHS. Was it a success?

I think the promotion was a little weird and maybe slightly in poor taste, but if it got some of the overlooked kitties into good homes, then yay!