Waived adoption fees help dogs and cats go home sooner

Little Andy, whose gray countenance clearly conveys his 17 years of living, may not have fully felt the déjà vu that enveloped him. But perhaps something felt familiar to the senior pup.

Andy had landed back at the Thomas J. O’Connor Animal Control & Adoption Center (TJO) in Springfield, Massachusetts, where he’d been adopted 16 years prior. “He is an adorable, persnickety little old man,” says Renee Robichaud, TJO’s animal control supervisor. “But the entire staff fell in love with him, and we knew someone else would, too.”

Andy didn’t know it, but fortunately he would soon get to meet prospective adopters thanks to TJO being one of four Massachusetts animal shelters at a three-day, free adoption event for dogs. The event took place as part of Best Friends Animal Society’s Prince and Paws Shelter Collaborative Program, with a Best Friends grant subsidizing adoption fees.

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The shelter collaborative program, which matches shelters that are leaders in animal welfare with shelters working to achieve a 90% save rate (the benchmark for no-kill), is one of the many ways Best Friends is helping shelters reach no-kill in 2025.

Organized by the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA–Angell), the other three groups were the Berkshire Humane Society in Pittsfield, the Dakin Humane Society in Springfield, and the Worcester Animal Rescue League. Additionally, other Massachusetts animal welfare organizations participated in the event, which resulted in 157 dogs going to new homes.

Jamie Garabedian, project manager for MSPCA-Angell, says the no-fee aspect of these adoption events helps bring more potential adopters through the door and makes adopting a pet less complicated.

“A fee-waived event doesn’t mean someone can just come in, grab a dog, and head out the door in 10 minutes,” Jamie says. “A potential adopter still must talk with the staff, learn about the animal, and make sure it’s the right fit. The process is much the same as other adoption events. The only difference is we’re removing the fee.”

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Reluctance of some animal welfare organizations to do fee-waived adoption events has traditionally pointed to a reduction in revenue or perceptions about the intentions of the adopters who want a pet for free.

Kristin Mullins, executive director of the Worcester Animal Rescue League, says, “Our staff was worried the people responding might not be serious about adoption, but after sharing the great information provided by MSPCA, it’s been nice to see those fears subside.”

And Heather Cahillane, executive director at TJO, says, “The event gave me a chance to check my own bias.”

Audrey Lodato, Best Friends director of regional programs who works with MSPCA-Angell and other shelters in the region, says fee-waived adoptions play a critical role in helping animals get adopted more quickly, which not only saves lives but also frees up valuable resources within shelters.

“By removing the adoption fee, which can be a barrier for pet acquisition for many people, we make it easier for people to welcome pets into their families while creating more space and support for animals still in the shelter,” Audrey says. “For shelters that might be hesitant about fee-waived adoptions, a good way to go is trying it as a pilot for a period of time. The cost of keeping an animal in care for an extra week usually greatly outweighs the cost of the waived adoption fee.”

Turns out that during the event, a local veterinarian saw a picture of Andy on the TJO website. He and his wife came over, and it was an instant connection. Andy’s now happy in his new home in nearby Holyoke, Massachusetts. “We are so happy he’s in a home where he’ll get first-class treatment for whatever he needs as he advances in age,” says Renee.

Word is that Andy is happily ensconced in his new digs. And though he doesn’t get around like he did in his younger years, he’s plenty happy relaxing on the couch or in his nice soft bed. He likes being picked up and carried around. He also loves lying out in the sun. Andy is living the high life — with a personal live-in veterinarian to boot.

Our goal at Best Friends is to support all animal shelters in the U.S. in reaching no-kill in 2025. No-kill means saving every dog and cat in a shelter who can be saved, accounting for community safety and good quality of life for pets. 

Shelter staff can’t do it alone. Saving animals in shelters is everyone’s responsibility, and it takes support and participation from the community. No-kill is possible when we work together thoughtfully, honestly, and collaboratively.