The Price of Happiness? About $65.

The best bargains on the planet aren't found on Groupon or Yelp. They are at your local animal shelter or Humane Society facility. Here in Santa Barbara it costs about $65 to adopt a dog or cat which includes spaying/neutering, vaccinations and even some basic obedience training (for dogs). That's a very small price to pay for years of happiness, devotion and unconditional love. Right now Jake, Addy, Maggie, Toby and nearly 100 other lovable pooches are waiting at the Santa Barbara Humane Society to bring immeasurable joy and fulfillment into your life. I started volunteering at the SBHS a few months back, taking photos of some of the dogs up for adoption. Unfortunately since then the numbers have gone the wrong way and there are now more dogs than ever available for adoption.  Recently we took some of the pictures and created a large  (5' X 12') banner  which will hang at the Goleta branch library for the month of August to raise awareness of the situation. Ready to find your new best friend? Here is a gallery of photos I've taken for the shelter or go the the SBHS website to see all of the dogs and cats currently available. If you're not in the neighborhood, try Petfinder.com to locate animals or shelters in your area. Now, bargain hunting may not be the right reason to visit an animal shelter but I guarantee you this: adopting a dog or cat will be the best deal you make in this life.