Senior fed up with the SPCA

EDITOR,
I frequently make donations to my local SPCA of worn blankets, towels, etc. My current pet is 14½ years old and is in his declining years. I have begun a search for another pet, so as to not be alone in my own declining years.
Many television ads make pleas to the public to adopt a “rescue” pet, rather than purchase one from a pet store. However, the cost of adopting a “mutt” is — for some breeds — more expensive than getting a pure breed from a pet store.
The SPCA’s “procedure for adoption” sheet states adoption fees are as follows: Kittens younger than 6 months are $150, and all other cats are $110; puppies younger than 1 year old are $300, and dogs older than 1 are $200; “senior” dogs are $150.
On top of that, you must pay to license the pet. Fees start at $22 for one year. The SPCA makes it difficult for those on a fixed income to rescue a lonely pet. They do not accept credit cards, nor will they accept a payment plan.
I remember a time when you could find someone in front of the local grocery store with a cardboard box full of free puppies or kittens. Law enforcement has made that illegal and subject to a huge fine or citation. Now, those litters will most likely be euthanized, because people won’t pay $300 for a mutt.
So without a donation, as the SPCA calls its fees, I’ll live my final years alone, wishing for a companion. As I watch the public announcements for the sad little pets with Sarah McLaughlin singing in the background, I wonder how many other seniors are out there alone, wishing they could afford to rescue a companion.
Carole Summers, Felton