Macon-Bibb official wants to make animal adoptions free

Macon-Bibb County Commissioner Joe Allen says he would like to get rid of adoption fees at the county’s shelter.

Allen said he plans to gauge other officials’ interest in waiving those fees. Eliminating the fee could attract more prospective pet owners, he said Tuesday.

The cost to adopt a dog is $100, and it’s $75 to adopt a cat from the Fulton Mill Road shelter. That fee includes expenses for spay/neuter services, a rabies vaccination and the first set of shots, according to Macon-Bibb County.

Allen said more donations from the public or organizations could be used to pay for animals being spayed and neutered. Macon-Bibb could also save money by not having to euthanize as many animals, he said.

It costs $50 per euthanasia.

“If we can become a more progressive community in trying to save the animals rather than putting animals to sleep, there’s a lot of people (interested) in adopting,” Allen said.

The west Bibb official is also sponsoring a resolution to build a new park next to the shelter, which would have an area where dogs from the shelter could be walked. That could also help people bond more with animals who need a loving home, he said.

This story was originally published August 7, 2017 at 3:51 PM with the headline "Macon-Bibb official wants to make animal adoptions free."