After an adopter agrees to your organization's terms in PawPlacer Checkout, PawPlacer presents an optional donation step before they reach the payment screen. This page covers what adopters see and how donations flow through to payment.
For Complete In Person adoptions, staff enter the donation amount directly in the completion dialog instead of using the donation step.
What the Donation Screen Shows
The donation screen displays photos of the pet(s) being adopted alongside a message explaining that donations are optional and separate from the adoption fee. Below the message, adopters see the preset donation amounts your organization has configured, each shown as a selectable card with the dollar amount and a short description of its impact.
At the bottom of the list, a custom donation field lets the adopter type in any amount they'd like. Custom amounts must be a positive number.
How Adopters Choose
Adopters tap one of the preset cards or enter a custom amount. The selected option is highlighted and the Next button becomes active. If they don't want to donate, they click Skip to go straight to the payment step (adoption fee only).
Where the Donation Appears in Payment
On the payment screen, the donation amount is listed separately from the adoption fee in the payment summary; if the adopter pays with Stripe, the Stripe Checkout page shows the donation as its own line item labeled "Donation." For other payment methods, the donation is included in the total displayed in the confirmation dialog.
100% of the donation amount goes to your organization; PawPlacer does not take a cut. If the adopter pays with Stripe, the standard Stripe processing fee (2.9% + $0.30) is calculated on the combined adoption fee + donation and shown as a separate line item; the adopter covers this so your shelter receives the full amounts.
Configuring Preset Amounts
The preset options shown to adopters are managed in Settings > Donation Amounts. From there you can add suggested amounts, create custom ones with your own descriptions, and remove options you no longer want. See Donation Amounts Settings for complete details.
Related
- Donation Amounts Settings: Add, edit, and remove presets
- Payment and Completion: The next step after donations
- Adoption Fees During Checkout: How adoption fees are calculated