Due to an influx of animals and a lack of funds, the Muncie Animal Shelter's board voted to charge people who drop off animals at the shelter a fee of $25.
The shelter began charging the fee in the past two weeks, Director Phil Peckinpaugh said. Since then, the overall number of animals surrendered by their owners has dropped.
Penny Vore, an office manager who takes care of the surrendered animals, said that it's great that fewer animals are coming in.
"In the month of July, we had 188 dogs surrendered and 169 cats," Vore said. "This month, it's been so much less."
Peckinpaugh said she does not think the fee will have negative consequences, such as animals being abandoned on the street.
"People will just be more likely to find the animals new homes on their own," Peckinpaugh said.
Ryan Faust, a senior telecommunications major, said his first choice for pet relocation has never been the shelter. He’s had to find new owners for his pets before but always looks for a home for them.
"The shelter would be a last resort, I guess," Faust said. "That would be so traumatic for them."
Faust now lives off campus with two cats, Marley and Oscar. Even though he never wants to surrender his animals to the shelter, he said the new fee is a good idea for those that need to. The shelter has to be able to care for all the animals it takes in.
"$25 seems fair," Faust said. "They do have to support the other animals."
The money obtained from the drop-off fees goes to the shelter’s spay and neuter fund, which are costly surgeries for pets but help prevent future homeless cats and dogs.
If a pet owner says he or she cannot afford the $25, Vore said she can choose to waive the fee at her discretion. But for these people who can't afford to take care of their animals, Faust said the fee will be less in the long run than taking care of an animal long term.
The shelter has had problems in the past with pet owners dropping off three or four animals at a time. Vore said the new policy may prompt owners to find a different place for the pets, but the owners who care won’t mind to pay.
Faust said people should make sure they take care of the animals they adopt, and that pets aren’t something to dispose of after a few months, but should be an important part of the owner’s life.
"An animal isn't just a thing that you should just get tired of," Faust said. "It should be a part of your family."
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