Roanoke shelter reveals true cost of animal care beyond adoption fees

ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) - Most people think a shelter animal costs only an adoption fee, but behind that number is a reality many never see.

From the moment an animal arrives, the shelter becomes responsible for every bill that keeps it alive and ready for a home.

When a pet walks through the doors at Angels of Assisi , before it can ever meet a potential family, it needs medical exams, vaccines, training, enrichment, and weeks—sometimes months—of care. That journey has a price tag.

The care breakdown includes an intake exam at about $30, vaccines up to $40 each, spay or neuter surgery up to $150, a microchip for another $25, and monthly preventatives at roughly $30 per month. That’s all before daily food, enrichment, or emergency care when an animal arrives needing immediate medical atte