Where Does My Adoption Fee Go?
As a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, WIN relies entirely on adoption fees and donations from the Wheaten-loving public for its funding. These fees are used to pay for basic veterinary services such as:
- Office visits
- Vaccinations
- Surgery, including spaying and neutering
- Dental work
- Lab work
- Diagnostic testing
In addition to veterinary care, adoption fees and donations are used to pay for grooming, training and transporting dogs to their foster and forever homes.
Many dogs come from homes where they are well cared for, and WIN has to spend little on them. In these cases, it may seem that we are making a profit when it charges an adoption fee for these dogs. However, it is important to remember that we also get many dogs that have been not so well cared for, or come from families who simply cannot afford to treat their pets’ chronic health conditions. The “profit” made from adopting out healthy dogs is used to cover the substantial costs of caring for the more needy ones.
WIN also has a WheatiCare program for qualifying elderly or health challenged dogs whose health status might otherwise prove to be an impediment for adoption. The WheatiCare program covers dogs who are very old or come into rescue with a chronic health problem that can’t be cured. Examples of this include dogs who require medication for diabetes or to help improve bladder control. In these situations, WIN will continue to pay for the costs of treating these known health conditions for the remainder of the dog’s life.
Eligibility for the WheatiCare program is decided on a case-by-case basis.
