Man’s best friend may be his wallet’s worst enemy.

However, for financially strapped residents looking for a companion, there are options.

Pet stores often charge hefty amounts for purebred dogs, and do not include such services as shots, checkups and spaying or neutering.

Pets and More, 432 N. Main Street in Sycamore, only sells puppies and charges between $200 and $1,500 for each one. Pets and More employee Kerri Kolacinski said the price depends on a puppy’s registration, color and appearance. The price includes a puppy’s first series of shots and first deworming, and its second series if the dog is old enough.

Spaying or neutering is the owner’s responsibility, Kolacinski said.

Spaying at Bethany Animal Hospital, 2400 Bethany Road in Sycamore, costs between $197.10 and $250.10 depending on the size of the dog. Neutering costs between $164.10 and $169.60. Spaying a kitten costs $175.10, with neutering running at $110.20.

Many shelters offer discounts for these services, or include them in the adoption fees.

The DeKalb County Animal Welfare Shelter, 16173 Baseline Road in Genoa, charges $45 for cats and $60 for dogs. This cost includes a distemper shot, as well as deworming, said cleaner Shauna Smith.

The shelter offers $10 off spaying/neutering for cats, and $15 off for dogs, Smith said. She added many veterinarians in the area will give a 10 percent discount to animals adopted from the shelter who are undergoing the procedure.

The DeKalb County Animal Welfare Shelter offers cats and dogs for adoption as well.

Tails Humane Society, 11634 Route 38, charges a $100 adoption fee for adult cats, dogs and kittens, with puppies running $50 or higher.

Program development coordinator Beth Drake said the cost includes vaccinations, a deworming test, spaying or neutering, microchip identification and a free first visit at participating veterinarians.

The shelter is located in temporary housing, which can hold 12 to 15 adult cats and 20 kittens. Drake said she is hoping a permanent location can be found by next year, and Tails can become

a large-scale shelter.

Sometimes dogs living in foster homes are available to adopt through Tails.

Drake warned that getting a cat or dog “free” through newspaper advertisements or other means is not always necessarily the cheapest option, even if it may sound like it. She said getting a completely healthy cat checked out, vaccinated, dewormed, spayed or neutered and implanted with a microchip at one of the bigger animal hospitals in town would cost between $300 and $350, on average.

The shelters do take precautions to make sure dogs and cats are placed in good homes.

Tails requires pet parents-to-be to fill out an adoption application, Drake said.

“The questions are designed to make sure the people that we’re talking to have really thought about this, and know the ins and outs of appropriate pet ownership, and are not just making a spontaneous decision,” Drake said.

Applicants must be 18 years old in order to adopt pets from both shelters and Pets and More.

Smith stressed that renters trying to pull one over on landlords who do not allow pets will not succeed if they try to adopt one from the shelters.

DeKalb County Shelter requires a written letter from landlords for those who are renting, Smith said.

“We either need to contact the landlord by phone, or we have to see a lease that says it’s OK [to own a pet],” Drake said about the Tails requirements.

Those interested in contacting DeKalb County Animal Welfare Shelter can call 784-5924. For more information on Tails Humane Society, call 75-TAILS, or visit www.tailshumanesociety.org