September 9, 2025
By: Jade Garrett – SPCA Albrecht Center Events & Fundraising Manager

Whenever we run a fee-waived adoption event, we see the same questions pop up in our comments:
– “How do you know a free adoption won’t land with a sicko who’ll hurt the pet?”
– “If someone can’t pay $10, can they really provide a good home?”
– “Do you check vet references?”

These are valid concerns, because at the end of the day, we all want the same thing: pets in safe, loving homes. Let’s look at what both research and our own experience actually show.

The Numbers Don’t Lie 

Studies from the ASPCA, Humane Society of the United States, and other national organizations show fee-waived adoptions do not increase the risk of neglect, abuse, or returns. In fact, retention rates are nearly identical. 93% of dogs and 95% of cats adopted during fee-waived promotions are still with their families a year later.

At the SPCA Albrecht Center, we see this play out every week. Pets are returned for many reasons – life changes, housing issues, allergies, or financial struggles – but there is no difference in return rates between pets adopted with fees and those adopted during fee-waived specials. Sometimes pets even come back years after adoption, long after the fee (or the lack of one) would have mattered. 

More Adoptions, More Awareness

One of the biggest benefits of adoption specials is visibility. Promotions allow us to improve our marketing and spread the word about adoptable pets who might otherwise be overlooked. They bring new families through our doors, help us clear space for incoming animals, and create a sense of urgency that matches the reality of overcrowded shelters.

Every day matters for pets waiting in kennels. When adoption fees are waived, it’s not about “free pets.” It’s about increasing the opportunity for adoption so that more animals can find homes faster, and making room for the next pet in need.

Lowering Barriers, Not Standards

Some people assume that fee-waived events mean we hand animals over without any safeguards. That’s not the case. Every adoption still goes through our adoption application, where we talk with potential adopters about their lifestyle, expectations, and how a pet will fit into their family.

We don’t require home checks or vet references, because our goal is to remove unnecessary barriers to adoption while still making sure it’s a good match. And we’re here for families long after adoption, offering resources to support them if challenges arise.

Here’s how:

  • Low-Cost Veterinary Clinic: Open Monday–Friday, 1–4 p.m., our SPCA Veterinary Care Center offers spay/neuters (by appointment), routine wellness, and concern exams at affordable rates. Help for veterans, senior citizens, and families struggling to cover veterinary bills is available when program funding allows. 
  • Pet Food Pantry: Thousands of pounds of pet food distributed to community members every year to help keep pets at home. 
  • Return Policy: If an adoption doesn’t work out, no matter the reason or how long it’s been, we accept every animal back. This safety net ensures pets don’t fall through the cracks.

A Lifesaving Tool in a Critical Time

Shelters across the country are facing record intake. Just last month at the Albrecht Center, we saw 144 animals come in (89 cats and 55 dogs) in just seven days. Intake is outpacing adoptions everywhere, and the math is simple: every kennel filled today needs to be emptied tomorrow, or another animal has nowhere to go.

Fee-waived events help us keep pace. They get animals into homes faster, which opens space, reduces stress, and allows us to keep saving lives.

The Big Picture

According to Best Friends Animal Society, the national “save rate” has risen to 83%, meaning millions more pets are finding homes than just a few years ago. But we’re not there yet. Best Friends estimates that if just 6% more Americans chose adoption over buying, the U.S. could reach no-kill status nationwide.

Fee-waived adoptions are one piece of that puzzle. At the SPCA Albrecht Center, adoption promotions are a tool to save lives, not a shortcut. So the next time you see a “free adoption” promotion, remember: it’s not about free pets. It’s about giving them the best shot at a forever home and making sure there’s space for the next animal in need.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jade Garrett is the Events & Fundraising Manager for the SPCA Albrecht Center in Aiken, SC. She is a seasoned marketing professional who found her way to the shelter in the fall of 2023. With a lifelong passion for animal welfare, she is excited to continue making a difference in the lives of homeless animals in our community for many years to come.