But, I am saving a life...why are you charging me so much? When adopting an animal some gasp at the cost. This certainly can be the make or break for some adopters, but let's put some perspective into why the fees can be a couple of hundred dollars to save a life. First, let's look at the difference between animal control shelters and rescue organizations. Animal Control Shelters are run by municipalities. Their fees for adoption are always going to be lower than adopting fro