The Tombstone Small Animal Shelter offers the cheapest adoption rates in southern Arizona but the no-kill shelter, which is operated entirely by volunteers, is suffering financial troubles this year.

Elaine Perry, president of the shelter, blames the depressed economy for the lack of donations. She also says that people are surrendering animals more often than adopting because they can no longer afford the cost of pet care.

“It’s a big deal, like adopting children I think,” said Perry. “And I think you’ve got to have the time and money to give them the care they need.”

However, even that recognition is not enough to make ends meet. The shelter is running an $11,000 deficit for this year. Volunteers hope that individual donors will provide enough monetary support to keep the facility operating.

Perry said she often drafts a wish list and sends it to local publications to spread the word on what is in need. Usually this list includes items such as bleach, laundry soap, liquid fabric softener, baking soda, paper towels, canned Pedigree dog food and, of course, cash donations.

The shelter was scheduled to hold a benefit golf tournament on Dec. 3 to raise money but had to reschedule to Jan. 21 due to rain.

Perry says the cost to adopt a pet at the Tombstone Small Animal Shelter has always been $25 and they do not intend to raise it even in hardship. Although other shelters charge more and the cost of sterilization and shots can reach more than $200, she says the overall goal is to get the animals adopted. In fact, by having a lower adoption fee the shelter actually saves money because people are more likely to adopt a less expensive animal and the shelter will not have to spend money on food and care in the long run.

In comparison, the Huachuca City Animal Shelter charges $35 to adopt an animal, but new owners must take their pets to get the required shots and sterilized on their own time. In addition, new owners must pay an additional $10 for a rabies shot, which is required by law.

“We don’t have enough money or staff,” says Scott Allard from Animal Control and supervisor of the shelter.

According to Allard, owners sign a contract stating they will take the necessary steps to sterilize and immunize their animals within two months after adoption or they can be taken to court for breaching their contract.

The Humane Society of Southern Arizona, which like the Tombstone Small Animal Shelter is a non-profit organization, charges much more, averaging about $70 per pet. Purebreds, puppies and kittens cost more for adoption in comparison to older pets. All animals are sterilized and given the required shots before they are put up for adoption. The facility also offers micro chipping, implanting an identification microchip in the animal, for only $10, a service that is not offered at all shelters.

But unlike Tombstone’s shelter, the Humane Society is doing fine financially.

“We’re pretty self-sustaining,” said Lyndsay Bruno Public Relations/Media Relations lead at Humane. “Thanks to the community and donors we are able to do what we can.”

To make up for being a smaller organization, Perry and other volunteers bring animals to PetSmart in Sierra Vista every Saturday in hopes that someone will adopt them.  Perry says on average about half of the animals she brings will be adopted that day.

Also, she does not know what will happen if the shelter starts to run out of money. “Just carry on and don’t quit,” says Perry. “You don’t always see the results of your work.”