It could soon cost you more to adopt a pet from the Fayette County Animal Shelter.

During today’s (May 7) workshop meeting, the Fayette County Commission will consider a request from Animal Control Director Miguel Abi-Hassan to increase the fee structure at the shelter. In an earlier meeting this year, he told the board that the fee structure had not been reviewed since 1980.

Currently, the shelter charges $20 for a dog adoption and $15 for a cat adoption. Other counties, such as Fulton charge $85 for a dog adoption and $65 for a cat adoption. The proposed fee schedule would increase to $30 for a dog and $20 for a cat.

“Suggested pricing not only matches comparables at a ‘fair value for service’ average, but it also allows for expansion of our services without increasing cost,” said Abi-Hassan.

One of the services that would be expanded is micro-chipping of animals. The procedure would be free with adoption and an optional $20 for reclaiming a lost pet. The microchips would be implanted at cost and the shelter would use donated funds to purchase the initial program, and would be self-sustaining afterwards.

Abi-Hassan said benefits of the program would improve the reclaim and save rate, along with improving turnover time. The service is offered at numerous animal shelters around the country and is a permanent identification marker for pets.

The County Commission will discuss the proposal at 3:30 this Wednesday afternoon at the Administrative Complex in Fayetteville.

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