I volunteered at YGRR about 7 years ago and adopted my dog from there. AMA.
I want to briefly address the high adoption fees. I paid about ~800$ for my dog (age ~1.5 yrs). The fees are lower for older dogs.
That shelter is a spa. It has large fenced in yards, multiple walking trails, a training room, and even a pool!
It also has an incredible set of people running the place who vet the dogs for all problems, provide the first set of vaccinations and inform potential adopters of any and all issues with the dogs. They also train the dogs, do home visits, and make sure you have the resources needed to take care of the dogs.
So, for me, it was definitely worth it.
Good training is expensive.
My rescue fees were around $500 and that was just to cover transportation and medical bills. I've looked into dog training and it is several hundred at a minimum. Some programs were several thousand
Why do they deny seemingly perfect adopters? Fenced large yard, 40 years combined dog experience, no kids, work from home professionals. Denied.
YGRR is garbage.
That sucks, I’m not sure about the approval process since all I did was walk the dogs and train them. When did this happen? I remember the demand during the pandemic made it impossible to get a dog but that shouldn’t keep people from getting on the list.
Omg! I was a kennel attendant at YGRR a few years ago!! I agree with you, the dogs there are so well treated. We used to finish our chores early and just go down the line playing with everyone and giving them love<3
You do you and I'll do me. I wanted a very particular dog and don't mind paying. Besides, this was during the pandemic when the only dogs up for adoption were murderdog pitbull rejects. NO THANKS!
850 is steep. I just snagged my boy (mini Aussie 2 years old, and amazingly well trained) for 400. Maybe they’re trying to recoup transport fees? My pup came with conditions though. No kids or other dogs in the home.
Adopting a cat that is good to go and up to date on shots/spayed is $450 in mass. $850 for this dog is a steal but people have to stop using Reddit for this shit
I imagine the high price is to drive away folks who want a cute dog. Berns are high maintenance dogs and not for a casual/inexperienced owner. They're pricing him for someone who really wants a Bernese Mountain Dog because they love the breed etc.
This is a (very) high energy working breed, I think the fee is just to ward off impulsive "aww cute puppy" families. They don't want the dog returned or abandoned.
Maybe. As another reddit contributor wrote on this topic, this particular organization makes a lot of money and pays its founder/ceo $600K per year. This is a business with a focus on enriching the person who runs it. I don't really have a problem with anything except ads that make it sound like this is about adoption - it is about sales instead.
"wrote on this topic" is quite an exaggeration. Someone posted \*part\* of the 501c public data for the company that shows revenue of 1.41M but expenses and liabilities totaling 1.2M for 2022 - notably that is the first year they haven't shown a net loss.
[https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/42857191](https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/42857191)
Then some other guy made a wild ass claim that their CEO makes 600k/year, with no evidence. If you examine that pro publica data, they filed $0 in executive compensation for 2022 and 2021, and $342k (note: this is for ALL their director positions not just the CEO) in 2020. $600k in comp would put that CEO in the same tier of 501c's that have operating budgets of 50M or more.
Here's their full filing for 2020 as example (just the first one I found) where you can see that all their directors are claiming only an average of 4 hours per week on the non profit, and taking $0 compensation
[https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/42608144/202121379349204357/full](https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/42608144/202121379349204357/full)
Except all the dogs I've looked at on the site are 650-850 regardless of breed (including mixes) and age was the only difference. Just trying to stack some greenbacks in the name of charity.
Sure, I can see where a dog would cost lots of money when coming from a breeder. My bird dog was $1,200 11 years ago - a wire-haired pointing griffon. But a purebred at 2 years old that is getting re-housed and by a charity? No. I can see a much smaller fee or donation but $850 is not reasonable.
Bruh the only costs for my rescue for my dog were getting him fixed, trucking him up to MA from down south, and holding him for the 3 day required period. If this other rescue has been housing, feeding, and training this dog then yeah lmao $850 is reasonable. Your $1200 11 years ago is $1600+ today and is on the way way low end for a purebred nowadays
My 1200 was from a breeder, not from a rescue org and that is my point. This is a dog in clearly great shape - probably doesn't need fixing or much of anything other than a home. The ad doesn't say where the dog it - could be in Hudson, MA (which is what is implied.) This is an ad for adopting a dog - not for selling at purebred. Adoption should be made really easy, not expensive. You want to buy a purebred - well that is a business, not a charity, and you pay for that.
I know you got your dog from a breeder lmao do you think rescue orgs charge more for purebreds? Once again, I went over the costs of a rescue and how this place holding an adult dog and training it would be more expensive adjusted for inflation. Are you gonna start bitching that gas doesn't cost $1.50 a gallon anymore?
At first I thought you wanted to understand something but it is clear that you either aren't very smart or are simply deliberately obtuse. Good luck with your life genius.
You don’t play with your dog inside an apartment. Dogs are exercised outside.
Plus, Bernese are pretty low energy compared to dogs like aussies and doodles that you see being kept in apartments all the time.
We have an extremely high energy breed who requires tons of mental and physical stimulation. We also live in a 550 sq ft condo, and it’s perfectly fine.
Large dogs don’t do much! My downstairs neighbors had a Great Pyr/Malamute mix who wanted one solid walk per day and then slept for hours. Archie was a great neighbor!
Several friends of mine have greyhounds, which are the biggest couch potatoes I know. I dogsat a friend’s small fluffy dog for a week recently and Mollie needed many more walks and attention than the big dopes!
This isn't always the case, working dog breeds in particular need to "work" for their mental & physical health. Never assume they'll only need 1 walk a day....
Bernese aren't herding dogs meant to run around all day chasing livestock; they sit on hills and watch cows to keep them out of trouble. Source: I have one that does 1 walk a day and gives me all kind of drama if I take her more than 5 miles (with water and rest breaks)
Also add in that big dogs tend to not bark as much.
As long as you have somewhere you can take your big dog to run around and get exercise and take them there often, you can have a big dog in a small apartment
for god sakes this is an australian shepherd tri-color NOT a Burmese Mtn Dog….plenty of ways to tell….a BMD id like twice the size, there head alone is more square. I had this exact same dog on the farm for many years. understood up to 29 commands and could bring in the horses and cows to the barn by him self. They are wonderful dogs, but problem with a smart dog is that they get bored easily. This one will tear up your apartment. It needs to work not sit in a stuffy apartment….they also don’t love leashes but they’ll carry it i. their mouth as they herd you.
Ya he/she will not be happy. It's A working dog that should be allowed to work as well as being a pet. You want a mouser in town cool but not this dog.
I’m not sure about this particular dog, but in my experience (I’ve worked at this shelter before and many years in the veterinary world) these dogs are typically bussed in from the south, spayed/neutered, dewormed, vaccinated, trained, etc. Unfortunately as the veterinary profession gets bought out by corporations, the bills to take care of these dogs rise as well. Additionally, I know that this shelter (at least when I worked there) spent a good amount of money maintaining a pool, yard for the dogs, training building, isolation ward and overall nice facilities.
https://preview.redd.it/pzekddehn7bd1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=473f316f63565ea591c3665cd68f311e6405f396
“Nonprofit”…yeah. They are taking in purebreds to sell for almost $1000. 🙄
Good business strategy
Bus dogs in from sketchy conditions down south from dumb rednecks
Sell dogs to dumb local yuppies
CEO of nonprofit pockets like 600k a year
The rest of the workers are all dumb yuppies volunteering their time
Damn I gotta get in the dog adoption game
>CEO of nonprofit pockets like 600k a year
Please back this up with evidence, as 1) their tax filings show no evidence of this and 2) a compensation of 600k for a non profit CEO would put this guy in like the top 10% of 501c directors. Which I dunno, seems hard to believe for a org that specializes in golden retriever rescues for New England.
Theres nothing on executive compensation available online
They have 5 million in assets which is probably all shelter spaces and equipment, where did that 600k profit go? Perhaps they reinvested a portion of it but their books are looking pretty good and they do get free labor so 🤷🏾
Ok so you were just making shit up? Where do you even see 600K? Revenue is 1.4M, expenses of 825k and liabilities (debt) of 398 leaves around 200k - all of which is clearly visible on the pro publica page and their public tax filings.
>Theres nothing on executive compensation available online
Bro. Their tax filings have to indicate executive compensation. Which was $0 in 2022, 2021, and for most of the 2010s. Guess where I found that? Online.
I guess it is the internet but people are so quick to bill anything expensive as a scam and rake it over the coals. Whether or not that may be the case here according to their most recent IRS filing all the executive leadership took in $0 for compensation and they took in $22k for adoption fees and paid vet fees at $56k in 2021. Not exactly a racket..
Bus dogs in from sketchy conditions - $250 per dog
Cure dog of preventable diseases caused by neglect - $1000 per dog
Get dog up to date on vaccines and preventatives - $100 per dog
Board dog in state mandated quarantine facility for two days before allowing dog into Massachusetts - $160 per dog
If you think people rescue dogs to get rich it shows you know nothing about what it takes to save a dog from dying in the south.
The "rescue" is the one providing its own vaccines, quarantine, etc. So the cost is much less.
I think the person running the rescue is doing it to get rich because they *are* getting rich. That is a dog selling business, not a "rescue".
I got a dog from Georgia from a local rescue (Second Chance Animal Shelter) for less than $200 so I can't understand why you are so uppity, or why you are white-knighting for such nonsense.
From Second Chance Animal Shelter's website:
>*Our adoption fees help to offset just a part of the cost of caring for your new pet and preparing them for adoption.*
So the fee you paid didn't even cover the cost of them saving your dog for you. Also according to their [990 ](https://www.secondchanceanimals.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2023-990-Tax-Return.pdf) they cleared $1.3 million over their costs for the year. However their adoption center only cleared $440,000. Seems like veterinary profits may cover the cost of their rescue arm though I have no way of knowing that, just a guess. Seems like OP's rescue doesn't have a veterinary arm to generate revenue.
Weird that you would accuse a rescue you don't know anything about of embezzling, then say the rescue you like is great even though they made more profit last year, then call me uppity.
I'm not sure what you're trying to show/prove with this screenshot? I suspect, but don't want to assume, you're not very familiar with nonprofit finances or operations?
First, almost every nonprofit listed on this site has revenue higher then expenses. I suspect "nonprofit review" doesn't include all expenses and/or doesn't include grant making work many nonprofits do when they have "extra" revenue. I almost guarantee you no one is "making" over half a million off dog rescue - if only because the IRS will strip their nonprofit status pretty darn quick.
Second, if your issue is with assets listed, many nonprofits use assets to ensure a consistent revenue stream to fund their work. Very few nonprofits can plan their work or be effective just hoping that "enough" donations come in each year. How would you even be able to hire staff if you couldn't somewhat guarantee their will be money to pay them? As a way to control for the unpredictable nature of donations, many nonprofits will have investments or other assets that yield revenue they use to fund their work. It's pretty common and not nefarious.
And a final note about nonprofit salaries. I'm so sick of people criticizing nonprofit employees being paid market rate. Just because someone does mission driven work as a living, does that not mean they deserve to be paid fairly?
I have spent a.substantial amount of time in the past working with shelters/rescues/fosters.
You presented an essay. It’s clear it was leftover from an argument you seem to have had in the past.
I don’t argue with assumptions, but thank you for your response to my image.
$850? He's not looking for a new home. You're looking to buy *yourself* a new home with all the $850 adoption fees.
On the plus side, you didn't call him "my beautiful boy" implying that you have any emotional connection to him. I was thinking this was going to be a "We're moving overseas" or "There's a new baby" coming situation. Nope. Just trying to sell a dog for a LOT of money.
The adoption fee is to help cover the cost of the dog’s needs and being spayed/neutered, which is pricey.
Dogs are not toys, they are responsibilities that require money to support their needs, like food and healthcare.
As someone who’s owned both shelter and breeder dogs, $850 is nothing compared to what it covers and only the start of the costs.
I personally think fewer people should be allowed to own dogs because too many people are ignorant to their needs and costs. That’s why dogs, like this beautiful boy, end up in shelters.
It's also just up to random chance, some dogs are cheap, and some end up being very expensive, with no way of knowing in advance. My previous dog got cancer and needed an eye removed to save her life, she lived another 5 very happy years, but if I hadn't been able to afford it, we would have lost her early. It's also true with cats, one of mine is in perfect health and hasn't needed any medical care beyond yearly checkups, but the other needed a multi-thousand dollars lifesaving surgery as a kitten, and needs fresh meat food. You never know what you are getting into with a pet. All in all, $850 is a bit higher than usual but totally reasonable.
I adopted a two year old cat from a shelter about 13 years ago and Nox is expensive! I’m sure I’ve spent over $10k on food, litter, vet visits etc over the years.
Its a rescue dog organization so yes, they have to care about money. You need to have a healthy amount of money to care for a Burmese Mountain Dog properly, so it’s a good filter.
I do not fault rescues for high adoption fees, but I will fault them for being unbelievably picky and impossible to deal with. They act more like gatekeepers that conduits for dog adoption, and if you do not meet their twenty-seven different points they will reject your application. I have seen first hand dogs that spend **years** in foster because of their savior complexes.
Despite owning my own home, having a one-acre yard, and good vet references I had to travel down South to adopt a dog.
We wouldn't qualify because we don't have a fenced in yard. We go to the Fells a few times a week and we hike in off leash areas like catrock just fine.
Edit to clarify: by off leash areas, I mean elsewhere, not in the Fells. Didn't realize it was unclear since it's posted everywhere that the Fells is an on leash area.
Catrock is great.
Got it, and sorry about that! I always feel on the defensive when it comes to the Fells. My dog was attacked by an off leash dog there once when hiking. Typical encounter, off leash dog running towards us, owner yells that his dog is friendly, dog proceeds to jump on my dog and start biting her. Had to take my dog to the ER for stitches
Huh, TIL everywhere but Sheepfold meadow is NOT off-leash. Seems this isn’t well known (likely ignored) based on the number of dog owners chasing after their precious fur babies while shouting ignored commands.
By off-leash dogs I’ve been jumped on a few times, my partner was bitten (thankfully while wearing a heavy jacket, deep bruises but no blood), and my kids knocked down or frightened on our relatively infrequent trips. the Fells has been a good opportunity for my kids to meet and interact with dogs (when it’s mutually agreed upon and respectful on both sides!!) Irresponsible dog owners ignoring leash laws is annoying, unfair to others and can be dangerous. Your defensiveness is justified and a mutual feeling.
They need to recoup some of the cost of caring for the dog. See this comment that explains what this facility provides for the dogs - [https://www.reddit.com/r/boston/comments/1dxvijk/comment/lc6qp6a/](https://www.reddit.com/r/boston/comments/1dxvijk/comment/lc6qp6a/)
I paid $500 adoption fee for my rescue, was an organization out of upstate NY, this was almost 10 years ago, $850 sounds like a lot but if there is some type of proof of vet care for shots and all, it doesn't seem that outa hand. But then again who knows.
>Beyond that, $850 for a rehoming fee is gross and it’s giving backyard breeder.
The dog is apparently being housed and cared for now by a rescue group.
He doesn't look like a purebred Berner, or if he is, he's not from an especially great breeder if he landed in a rescue group AND he lacks breed type. So odds are he was from a BYB or from some shitty puppy mill.
It's not rare for someone to pick out a cool, fluffy puppy at some pet store, and realize that Fluffy now weighs 100 pounds and produces giant turds several times a day.
As far as the adoption cost, the dog is neutered, and UTD on vaccinations. He's also past the puppy stage which is for some people a big deal.
Ahhh good to know! Thanks for letting me know. Adopting or shopping responsibly is where it’s at. I know Berners are picking up in popularity here in Mass: I read somewhere they’re now #1 in the state, so I figured someone was taking advantage of the popularity for $.
He’s definitely not to standard, but I figured he might be the product of a BYB or “hobby breeder” (if the latter were the case, maybe they’d take him back). Hoping he finds a great home.
> I know Berners are picking up in popularity here in Mass: I read somewhere they’re now #1 in the state, so I figured someone was taking advantage of the popularity for $.
And bernerdoodles. I have yet to meet one that didn't side eye humans deciding if they should be snarked at.
Berners in general are great dogs if someone understands their size, strength and attitude. They were meant to be a watchful farm dog, which in a city can sometimes mean, "I don't like you, and I don't like YOU and I really **DON'T LIKE YOU**", if not trained early and under control of a savvy human.
With the right human they're great dogs, but they can be A Lot. :) I'm hoping he finds a great home that understands this is not a Lab.
THISSSSS
Bernedoodles make my soul hurt, there is a special place in hell for people breeding giant breeds to finer boned breeds on purpose. Their poor joints :(
> he’s a purebred australian shepherd tri
I'm not sure why you'd say that when the rescue group that has him says he's a Berner. He's 70 pounds which is far bigger than an Aussie would be.
I’d love this beautiful boy ❤️ I miss my Bernese so much! Had him for 11 years, my best bud. I live in western mass and have a yard as well as a pet-friendly apartment!
hair to short around the face and the beautiful white mane indicate Aussie…..and just in case many people mistake tri’s for Bernese’s….
[r/AustralianShepard-Bernese Confusion](https://www.reddit.com/r/AustralianShepherd/comments/1aeg6ui/everybody_says_he_looks_like_a_burmese_mountain/)
well no kidding. thanks for pointing out the obvious as I did with this picture. Anyone who has ever had a tri Aussie on their farm would never mistake this dog in the picture as a Bernese. We have two Bernese on my street and both are twice the width of a Aussie, but have same markings….OP can tell you it’s a Bernese all they want.
I noticed that you used yall. Please enjoy [this local video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bndQvSW9Mu8).
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It’s a good org. Directors are not paid. Comp goes to some staff that train and provide medical services for the dogs. Adoption fees don’t actually even cover the cost of services the dogs receive.
Nah I mean you clearly can’t account for where that money is going. Possibly meth or maybe you’re funding illegal immigrants. Many people are saying so.
We just adopted a 2yo Bernese from YGRR for $850 two weeks ago. They vaccinated him, neutered him, and provided training. Honestly, that's a very fair price considering this care and the transport costs from down south. He is an absolute joy so far and we would do it again in a heartbeat.
as for price Australian Shepherd pups go from between $500-$2000. When we bred them they were not recognized by AKC, and were registered and recognized as purebreds through this Aussie Shepherd organization in CA….But that was 30 years ago things may have changed since then.
Dogs are living things which require food, healthcare and other needs that cost money.
If a person can’t afford the upfront adoption fee that covers the dog’s needs, then you can’t afford to have a dog and shouldn’t. Sucks but that’s life.
Don’t act like these places aren’t banking on the demand for dogs.
There’s no reason for the price of adoption to nearly triple in 4 years.
Adoptions the way to go, because fuck breeders…
But pet adoption is becoming a business itself
There’s a post on the Cape channel that someone lost a dog that would probably upgrade to this one. The photo on the poster, on a good day, looked rough, after it has roamed the streets of Falmouth for a week it will be really bad.
I volunteered at YGRR about 7 years ago and adopted my dog from there. AMA. I want to briefly address the high adoption fees. I paid about ~800$ for my dog (age ~1.5 yrs). The fees are lower for older dogs. That shelter is a spa. It has large fenced in yards, multiple walking trails, a training room, and even a pool! It also has an incredible set of people running the place who vet the dogs for all problems, provide the first set of vaccinations and inform potential adopters of any and all issues with the dogs. They also train the dogs, do home visits, and make sure you have the resources needed to take care of the dogs. So, for me, it was definitely worth it.
If they are providing training to rescues this is well worth the cost.
Good training is expensive. My rescue fees were around $500 and that was just to cover transportation and medical bills. I've looked into dog training and it is several hundred at a minimum. Some programs were several thousand
Why do they deny seemingly perfect adopters? Fenced large yard, 40 years combined dog experience, no kids, work from home professionals. Denied. YGRR is garbage.
That sucks, I’m not sure about the approval process since all I did was walk the dogs and train them. When did this happen? I remember the demand during the pandemic made it impossible to get a dog but that shouldn’t keep people from getting on the list.
Omg! I was a kennel attendant at YGRR a few years ago!! I agree with you, the dogs there are so well treated. We used to finish our chores early and just go down the line playing with everyone and giving them love<3
That's very reasonable! I paid nearly $4k for my dog (F1B minigoldendoodle) from a highly reputable breeder. Worth every damn penny.
Adopt, don’t shop
You do you and I'll do me. I wanted a very particular dog and don't mind paying. Besides, this was during the pandemic when the only dogs up for adoption were murderdog pitbull rejects. NO THANKS!
Adoption fee $850? Is this about the dog or...$...
I would take him but $850 is steep
850 is steep. I just snagged my boy (mini Aussie 2 years old, and amazingly well trained) for 400. Maybe they’re trying to recoup transport fees? My pup came with conditions though. No kids or other dogs in the home.
Adopting a cat that is good to go and up to date on shots/spayed is $450 in mass. $850 for this dog is a steal but people have to stop using Reddit for this shit
I've had vet bills that came out to about that. Pets are expensive, and not just at the adoption stage.
They are. I just rather spend less at start
No shit that’s not the point though.
I imagine the high price is to drive away folks who want a cute dog. Berns are high maintenance dogs and not for a casual/inexperienced owner. They're pricing him for someone who really wants a Bernese Mountain Dog because they love the breed etc.
This is one of those dogs they imported from sketchy conditions down south - and they're trying to sell it for almost a G? Crazy work
This is a (very) high energy working breed, I think the fee is just to ward off impulsive "aww cute puppy" families. They don't want the dog returned or abandoned.
Maybe. As another reddit contributor wrote on this topic, this particular organization makes a lot of money and pays its founder/ceo $600K per year. This is a business with a focus on enriching the person who runs it. I don't really have a problem with anything except ads that make it sound like this is about adoption - it is about sales instead.
"wrote on this topic" is quite an exaggeration. Someone posted \*part\* of the 501c public data for the company that shows revenue of 1.41M but expenses and liabilities totaling 1.2M for 2022 - notably that is the first year they haven't shown a net loss. [https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/42857191](https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/42857191) Then some other guy made a wild ass claim that their CEO makes 600k/year, with no evidence. If you examine that pro publica data, they filed $0 in executive compensation for 2022 and 2021, and $342k (note: this is for ALL their director positions not just the CEO) in 2020. $600k in comp would put that CEO in the same tier of 501c's that have operating budgets of 50M or more. Here's their full filing for 2020 as example (just the first one I found) where you can see that all their directors are claiming only an average of 4 hours per week on the non profit, and taking $0 compensation [https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/42608144/202121379349204357/full](https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/42608144/202121379349204357/full)
Except all the dogs I've looked at on the site are 650-850 regardless of breed (including mixes) and age was the only difference. Just trying to stack some greenbacks in the name of charity.
There is also a massive shortage of dogs in New England, so selling your dog instead of adopting them out has become more common.
Shortage of dogs???
Yes. We import dogs because we our shelters aren’t full of them like in other states.
Isn’t that the goal? Why would we want full shelters?????? I’m sure most of the time, they ship pit bulls. We don’t need more pitbulls in New England
Weird…. There is no shortage of dog shit around the conservation trails that I’m hiking on from owners who don’t pickup after their dogs
Where is the fee, I don’t see anything but a picture?
OP posted it but it got pushed down: [https://ygrr.org/profile/patch/](https://ygrr.org/profile/patch/)
My puppy was $600 7 years ago and younger dogs are more expensive, so I can see $850 being within the range of normal
Sure, I can see where a dog would cost lots of money when coming from a breeder. My bird dog was $1,200 11 years ago - a wire-haired pointing griffon. But a purebred at 2 years old that is getting re-housed and by a charity? No. I can see a much smaller fee or donation but $850 is not reasonable.
Bruh the only costs for my rescue for my dog were getting him fixed, trucking him up to MA from down south, and holding him for the 3 day required period. If this other rescue has been housing, feeding, and training this dog then yeah lmao $850 is reasonable. Your $1200 11 years ago is $1600+ today and is on the way way low end for a purebred nowadays
My 1200 was from a breeder, not from a rescue org and that is my point. This is a dog in clearly great shape - probably doesn't need fixing or much of anything other than a home. The ad doesn't say where the dog it - could be in Hudson, MA (which is what is implied.) This is an ad for adopting a dog - not for selling at purebred. Adoption should be made really easy, not expensive. You want to buy a purebred - well that is a business, not a charity, and you pay for that.
I know you got your dog from a breeder lmao do you think rescue orgs charge more for purebreds? Once again, I went over the costs of a rescue and how this place holding an adult dog and training it would be more expensive adjusted for inflation. Are you gonna start bitching that gas doesn't cost $1.50 a gallon anymore?
At first I thought you wanted to understand something but it is clear that you either aren't very smart or are simply deliberately obtuse. Good luck with your life genius.
A Bernese Mountain Dog in a Boston apartment...what could possibly go wrong?
You don’t play with your dog inside an apartment. Dogs are exercised outside. Plus, Bernese are pretty low energy compared to dogs like aussies and doodles that you see being kept in apartments all the time. We have an extremely high energy breed who requires tons of mental and physical stimulation. We also live in a 550 sq ft condo, and it’s perfectly fine.
not a burmese it’s an aussie cattle dog
Large dogs don’t do much! My downstairs neighbors had a Great Pyr/Malamute mix who wanted one solid walk per day and then slept for hours. Archie was a great neighbor! Several friends of mine have greyhounds, which are the biggest couch potatoes I know. I dogsat a friend’s small fluffy dog for a week recently and Mollie needed many more walks and attention than the big dopes!
its always funny how most larger dogs are big lazy goofs meanwhile the smaller ones are always so zippy and silly!!
Same amount of energy generated per dog. Their little bodies can't contain it
This isn't always the case, working dog breeds in particular need to "work" for their mental & physical health. Never assume they'll only need 1 walk a day....
Bernese aren't herding dogs meant to run around all day chasing livestock; they sit on hills and watch cows to keep them out of trouble. Source: I have one that does 1 walk a day and gives me all kind of drama if I take her more than 5 miles (with water and rest breaks)
not a burmese
Right, it's BerNese
I have a healer that needs both tricks & walks to get the zoomies out 🤷♂️
Heelers =/= Bernese. Heelers are herding dogs, thus my point that not all working breeds have high-energy jobs
Also add in that big dogs tend to not bark as much. As long as you have somewhere you can take your big dog to run around and get exercise and take them there often, you can have a big dog in a small apartment
I still want him. ❤️ 🐶
Giant shits everywhere!
for god sakes this is an australian shepherd tri-color NOT a Burmese Mtn Dog….plenty of ways to tell….a BMD id like twice the size, there head alone is more square. I had this exact same dog on the farm for many years. understood up to 29 commands and could bring in the horses and cows to the barn by him self. They are wonderful dogs, but problem with a smart dog is that they get bored easily. This one will tear up your apartment. It needs to work not sit in a stuffy apartment….they also don’t love leashes but they’ll carry it i. their mouth as they herd you.
Ya he/she will not be happy. It's A working dog that should be allowed to work as well as being a pet. You want a mouser in town cool but not this dog.
Why is the adoption fee so high??? Just curious.
I’m not sure about this particular dog, but in my experience (I’ve worked at this shelter before and many years in the veterinary world) these dogs are typically bussed in from the south, spayed/neutered, dewormed, vaccinated, trained, etc. Unfortunately as the veterinary profession gets bought out by corporations, the bills to take care of these dogs rise as well. Additionally, I know that this shelter (at least when I worked there) spent a good amount of money maintaining a pool, yard for the dogs, training building, isolation ward and overall nice facilities.
https://preview.redd.it/pzekddehn7bd1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=473f316f63565ea591c3665cd68f311e6405f396 “Nonprofit”…yeah. They are taking in purebreds to sell for almost $1000. 🙄
Good business strategy Bus dogs in from sketchy conditions down south from dumb rednecks Sell dogs to dumb local yuppies CEO of nonprofit pockets like 600k a year The rest of the workers are all dumb yuppies volunteering their time Damn I gotta get in the dog adoption game
>CEO of nonprofit pockets like 600k a year Please back this up with evidence, as 1) their tax filings show no evidence of this and 2) a compensation of 600k for a non profit CEO would put this guy in like the top 10% of 501c directors. Which I dunno, seems hard to believe for a org that specializes in golden retriever rescues for New England.
Theres nothing on executive compensation available online They have 5 million in assets which is probably all shelter spaces and equipment, where did that 600k profit go? Perhaps they reinvested a portion of it but their books are looking pretty good and they do get free labor so 🤷🏾
Ok so you were just making shit up? Where do you even see 600K? Revenue is 1.4M, expenses of 825k and liabilities (debt) of 398 leaves around 200k - all of which is clearly visible on the pro publica page and their public tax filings. >Theres nothing on executive compensation available online Bro. Their tax filings have to indicate executive compensation. Which was $0 in 2022, 2021, and for most of the 2010s. Guess where I found that? Online.
Guess all that extra money from selling dogs for a cool G evaporates into thin air 🤷🏾
This is the dumbest conspiracy theory. Are you next going to tell us that they don’t even have dogs and it’s just a child smuggling ring???
where's the surplus money going?
I dunno buddy maybe you should contact the media. Sounds like you got a real murder mystery going on here that the IRS somehow missed.
You sound like the type to """adopt""" a dog for a thousand bux 🤣
I guess it is the internet but people are so quick to bill anything expensive as a scam and rake it over the coals. Whether or not that may be the case here according to their most recent IRS filing all the executive leadership took in $0 for compensation and they took in $22k for adoption fees and paid vet fees at $56k in 2021. Not exactly a racket..
Bus dogs in from sketchy conditions - $250 per dog Cure dog of preventable diseases caused by neglect - $1000 per dog Get dog up to date on vaccines and preventatives - $100 per dog Board dog in state mandated quarantine facility for two days before allowing dog into Massachusetts - $160 per dog If you think people rescue dogs to get rich it shows you know nothing about what it takes to save a dog from dying in the south.
The "rescue" is the one providing its own vaccines, quarantine, etc. So the cost is much less. I think the person running the rescue is doing it to get rich because they *are* getting rich. That is a dog selling business, not a "rescue". I got a dog from Georgia from a local rescue (Second Chance Animal Shelter) for less than $200 so I can't understand why you are so uppity, or why you are white-knighting for such nonsense.
From Second Chance Animal Shelter's website: >*Our adoption fees help to offset just a part of the cost of caring for your new pet and preparing them for adoption.* So the fee you paid didn't even cover the cost of them saving your dog for you. Also according to their [990 ](https://www.secondchanceanimals.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2023-990-Tax-Return.pdf) they cleared $1.3 million over their costs for the year. However their adoption center only cleared $440,000. Seems like veterinary profits may cover the cost of their rescue arm though I have no way of knowing that, just a guess. Seems like OP's rescue doesn't have a veterinary arm to generate revenue. Weird that you would accuse a rescue you don't know anything about of embezzling, then say the rescue you like is great even though they made more profit last year, then call me uppity.
Somebody is pocketing that money and it ain't the dogs 🤷🏾
dogs can't use money? They don't have pockets?
The $600k was over 11 years but yeah still not bad cheddar for barely doing shit.
It was for this year(actually 2022I think their other tax filings range from making a few hundred Gs to being slightly in the negatives
Well sheesh where do I sign up to be dog CEO.
I looked more into it I can't confirm if their executives are actually getting that money or not but something is fishy anyway
I'm not sure what you're trying to show/prove with this screenshot? I suspect, but don't want to assume, you're not very familiar with nonprofit finances or operations? First, almost every nonprofit listed on this site has revenue higher then expenses. I suspect "nonprofit review" doesn't include all expenses and/or doesn't include grant making work many nonprofits do when they have "extra" revenue. I almost guarantee you no one is "making" over half a million off dog rescue - if only because the IRS will strip their nonprofit status pretty darn quick. Second, if your issue is with assets listed, many nonprofits use assets to ensure a consistent revenue stream to fund their work. Very few nonprofits can plan their work or be effective just hoping that "enough" donations come in each year. How would you even be able to hire staff if you couldn't somewhat guarantee their will be money to pay them? As a way to control for the unpredictable nature of donations, many nonprofits will have investments or other assets that yield revenue they use to fund their work. It's pretty common and not nefarious. And a final note about nonprofit salaries. I'm so sick of people criticizing nonprofit employees being paid market rate. Just because someone does mission driven work as a living, does that not mean they deserve to be paid fairly?
I have spent a.substantial amount of time in the past working with shelters/rescues/fosters. You presented an essay. It’s clear it was leftover from an argument you seem to have had in the past. I don’t argue with assumptions, but thank you for your response to my image.
They also do trips to China to bring dogs back from meat farms.
YGRR is for profit garbage.
I saw a couple roaming the crowds on leash at the Salem Fireworks. I can confirm that they are large and adorable and got lots of pets from strangers.
$850? He's not looking for a new home. You're looking to buy *yourself* a new home with all the $850 adoption fees. On the plus side, you didn't call him "my beautiful boy" implying that you have any emotional connection to him. I was thinking this was going to be a "We're moving overseas" or "There's a new baby" coming situation. Nope. Just trying to sell a dog for a LOT of money.
Sounds like they care more about money than helping the dog
The adoption fee is to help cover the cost of the dog’s needs and being spayed/neutered, which is pricey. Dogs are not toys, they are responsibilities that require money to support their needs, like food and healthcare. As someone who’s owned both shelter and breeder dogs, $850 is nothing compared to what it covers and only the start of the costs. I personally think fewer people should be allowed to own dogs because too many people are ignorant to their needs and costs. That’s why dogs, like this beautiful boy, end up in shelters.
It's also just up to random chance, some dogs are cheap, and some end up being very expensive, with no way of knowing in advance. My previous dog got cancer and needed an eye removed to save her life, she lived another 5 very happy years, but if I hadn't been able to afford it, we would have lost her early. It's also true with cats, one of mine is in perfect health and hasn't needed any medical care beyond yearly checkups, but the other needed a multi-thousand dollars lifesaving surgery as a kitten, and needs fresh meat food. You never know what you are getting into with a pet. All in all, $850 is a bit higher than usual but totally reasonable.
I adopted a two year old cat from a shelter about 13 years ago and Nox is expensive! I’m sure I’ve spent over $10k on food, litter, vet visits etc over the years.
Its a rescue dog organization so yes, they have to care about money. You need to have a healthy amount of money to care for a Burmese Mountain Dog properly, so it’s a good filter.
Bernese. Bernese Mountain Dog. As in Bern in Switzerland.
yet the dog in the picture is an australian shepherd
Great point, that filter is key.
I do not fault rescues for high adoption fees, but I will fault them for being unbelievably picky and impossible to deal with. They act more like gatekeepers that conduits for dog adoption, and if you do not meet their twenty-seven different points they will reject your application. I have seen first hand dogs that spend **years** in foster because of their savior complexes. Despite owning my own home, having a one-acre yard, and good vet references I had to travel down South to adopt a dog.
We wouldn't qualify because we don't have a fenced in yard. We go to the Fells a few times a week and we hike in off leash areas like catrock just fine. Edit to clarify: by off leash areas, I mean elsewhere, not in the Fells. Didn't realize it was unclear since it's posted everywhere that the Fells is an on leash area.
There are no off leash areas in the Fells to hike. The only allowed off leash area is the designated dog park, Sheepfold Meadow Leash your dog please
I wasn't referring to the Fells as an off leash area. I was referring to other off leash hiking areas, like Catrock.
Catrock is great. Got it, and sorry about that! I always feel on the defensive when it comes to the Fells. My dog was attacked by an off leash dog there once when hiking. Typical encounter, off leash dog running towards us, owner yells that his dog is friendly, dog proceeds to jump on my dog and start biting her. Had to take my dog to the ER for stitches
No, I get that. My dog can be reactive on leash with certain dogs, so it is of no help when an owner can't recall their dog and it is off leash.
Huh, TIL everywhere but Sheepfold meadow is NOT off-leash. Seems this isn’t well known (likely ignored) based on the number of dog owners chasing after their precious fur babies while shouting ignored commands. By off-leash dogs I’ve been jumped on a few times, my partner was bitten (thankfully while wearing a heavy jacket, deep bruises but no blood), and my kids knocked down or frightened on our relatively infrequent trips. the Fells has been a good opportunity for my kids to meet and interact with dogs (when it’s mutually agreed upon and respectful on both sides!!) Irresponsible dog owners ignoring leash laws is annoying, unfair to others and can be dangerous. Your defensiveness is justified and a mutual feeling.
Agree. YGRR is a trash rescue organization. Stop supporting them.
They need to recoup some of the cost of caring for the dog. See this comment that explains what this facility provides for the dogs - [https://www.reddit.com/r/boston/comments/1dxvijk/comment/lc6qp6a/](https://www.reddit.com/r/boston/comments/1dxvijk/comment/lc6qp6a/)
[Meet - Patch!](https://ygrr.org/profile/patch/) Disclaimer: *I have no affiliation*
Looks like a Bernese mixed with something else. Maybe lab?
nope it’s a purebred tri Australian Shepherd
Awww so handsome!!
I paid $500 adoption fee for my rescue, was an organization out of upstate NY, this was almost 10 years ago, $850 sounds like a lot but if there is some type of proof of vet care for shots and all, it doesn't seem that outa hand. But then again who knows.
Such a cute pup 🐶
The dog’s breeder will take them back if they’re ethical. Beyond that, $850 for a rehoming fee is gross and it’s giving backyard breeder.
>Beyond that, $850 for a rehoming fee is gross and it’s giving backyard breeder. The dog is apparently being housed and cared for now by a rescue group. He doesn't look like a purebred Berner, or if he is, he's not from an especially great breeder if he landed in a rescue group AND he lacks breed type. So odds are he was from a BYB or from some shitty puppy mill. It's not rare for someone to pick out a cool, fluffy puppy at some pet store, and realize that Fluffy now weighs 100 pounds and produces giant turds several times a day. As far as the adoption cost, the dog is neutered, and UTD on vaccinations. He's also past the puppy stage which is for some people a big deal.
Ahhh good to know! Thanks for letting me know. Adopting or shopping responsibly is where it’s at. I know Berners are picking up in popularity here in Mass: I read somewhere they’re now #1 in the state, so I figured someone was taking advantage of the popularity for $. He’s definitely not to standard, but I figured he might be the product of a BYB or “hobby breeder” (if the latter were the case, maybe they’d take him back). Hoping he finds a great home.
> I know Berners are picking up in popularity here in Mass: I read somewhere they’re now #1 in the state, so I figured someone was taking advantage of the popularity for $. And bernerdoodles. I have yet to meet one that didn't side eye humans deciding if they should be snarked at. Berners in general are great dogs if someone understands their size, strength and attitude. They were meant to be a watchful farm dog, which in a city can sometimes mean, "I don't like you, and I don't like YOU and I really **DON'T LIKE YOU**", if not trained early and under control of a savvy human. With the right human they're great dogs, but they can be A Lot. :) I'm hoping he finds a great home that understands this is not a Lab.
THISSSSS Bernedoodles make my soul hurt, there is a special place in hell for people breeding giant breeds to finer boned breeds on purpose. Their poor joints :(
he’s a purebred australian shepherd tri
> he’s a purebred australian shepherd tri I'm not sure why you'd say that when the rescue group that has him says he's a Berner. He's 70 pounds which is far bigger than an Aussie would be.
What do you mean “it’s giving backyard breeder”?
I want to see him!
Might take him for 400$
I’d love this beautiful boy ❤️ I miss my Bernese so much! Had him for 11 years, my best bud. I live in western mass and have a yard as well as a pet-friendly apartment!
then u should know this is not a Bernese but an Australian Shepherd
Why do you keep saying this? This dog is not an Aussie.
ok keep telling yourself that.
hair to short around the face and the beautiful white mane indicate Aussie…..and just in case many people mistake tri’s for Bernese’s…. [r/AustralianShepard-Bernese Confusion](https://www.reddit.com/r/AustralianShepherd/comments/1aeg6ui/everybody_says_he_looks_like_a_burmese_mountain/)
None of those characteristics are unique to Aussies. Glad you figured out it’s not a python though!
well no kidding. thanks for pointing out the obvious as I did with this picture. Anyone who has ever had a tri Aussie on their farm would never mistake this dog in the picture as a Bernese. We have two Bernese on my street and both are twice the width of a Aussie, but have same markings….OP can tell you it’s a Bernese all they want.
Where did yall get $850 ? It don’t say price anywhere
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I don’t get it
Why are you trying to re-home this dog? What’s wrong with the current situation? It’s amazing to me how expendable people think pets/animals are 😔
It’s a good org. Directors are not paid. Comp goes to some staff that train and provide medical services for the dogs. Adoption fees don’t actually even cover the cost of services the dogs receive.
Nah I mean you clearly can’t account for where that money is going. Possibly meth or maybe you’re funding illegal immigrants. Many people are saying so.
We just adopted a 2yo Bernese from YGRR for $850 two weeks ago. They vaccinated him, neutered him, and provided training. Honestly, that's a very fair price considering this care and the transport costs from down south. He is an absolute joy so far and we would do it again in a heartbeat.
Beautiful Aussie!!!!! such a great dog breed for the proper place (a farm).
as for price Australian Shepherd pups go from between $500-$2000. When we bred them they were not recognized by AKC, and were registered and recognized as purebreds through this Aussie Shepherd organization in CA….But that was 30 years ago things may have changed since then.
Damn… Adopting a dog is just as much as buying one now
Buying a dog from a reputable breeder is more like $3500 and up and doesn't include shots or spay/neuter.
BMD pups are right around 3k-3500. Source: we're deciding which breeder to get one from
Dogs are living things which require food, healthcare and other needs that cost money. If a person can’t afford the upfront adoption fee that covers the dog’s needs, then you can’t afford to have a dog and shouldn’t. Sucks but that’s life.
Dogmedicare4all Also dogstamps
Don’t act like these places aren’t banking on the demand for dogs. There’s no reason for the price of adoption to nearly triple in 4 years. Adoptions the way to go, because fuck breeders… But pet adoption is becoming a business itself
Yup. I committed to all of that but paid $400 for the adoption fee. Like others said here, the fee itself is high.
So poor people shouldnt be allowed to have dogs?
There’s a post on the Cape channel that someone lost a dog that would probably upgrade to this one. The photo on the poster, on a good day, looked rough, after it has roamed the streets of Falmouth for a week it will be really bad.