To become a Nonprofit Rescue or Not

[Anikaca77]

Hi All-

I've been doing some thinking lately and I'm just starting to wonder if I might try to become a nonprofit rescue without a boarding facility.

The only reason why I say I would do it without a boarding facility is because I'm in an apartment and well I have too many kitties as it is.

I recently took in Hercules, who was spotted with his mom outside my window at work and of course I had to try to save them. It's a good thing I did get him because he had coccidia and he probably wouldn't have survived.

Then there is the two that I trapped at my sister, she is keeping the one and I have the other which we are not sure if we are going to adopt her out or not. She is super sweet and luckily my sister is paying for her to get vet checked and such because with Hercules I just don't have the extra funds.

I was thinking of maybe asking the local people around my area to see if they would be willing to donate any items so I could hold a huge yard sale and raise some funds to pay for vetting but I don't know if you can do that without being registered and most people usually want a tax break if they are going to donate to something. I sorta thought of sending an e-mail around work asking if anyone would like to help out with costs of Hercules, but they all think I'm crazy and I shouldn't take in more cats which I'm not planning on doing but someone needs to help these cats/kittens. I know I can only do so much and I've hit my limit at times where I couldn't do anymore but I keep doing it anyway. I'm just thinking if I became a nonprofit maybe people would be more willing to donate?

I'm thinking I could list some of my things on Ebay to help cover costs but I'm just not sure. I still have 10 year old Ziggy (flame point Siamese) at my house too that I have listed on Petfinder, I'm hoping to find him a forever home but I've been trying since April and no one has wanted to take him. I've posted flyers up about him and my number has been taken but no phone calls.

Any thoughts?

The reason I posted it here is because most of you know me and I've been rescuing cats since 2006 and that's what I would continue to do.

Melissa

[catmandu]

You could email Dale at [email protected] as she is with the Animal Welfare Association and she could certainly give you some good advice.
The laws between Canada and the USA could be different so I am hesitant to give you wrong advice:love::love:
I have the Found Cat Hotel, but am privately funded , aand it has been a Wonderful Pat 16 years with some sadnness, but a lot of joy.:love::love::love:

[Catty1]

Tracy at reachoutrescue could give you some tips, as could Jen Lukenbach. It IS a huge undertaking, with a bit of paperwork up front. You could also ask your friend who has had a rescue for some time - Shirley Fonda.

Good luck!:)

[Freedom]

Are you planning to rehome any of the cats you have?

The not for profit has to have a mission, a purpose. And caring for the pet you have doesn't qualify; sadly! :D

So if you are going to keep them, then you would need a facility, a shelter.

If you are rehoming them as they arrive (Hercules comes in, but another one just got rehomed so went out), then that would work.

[Anikaca77]

I've been trying to find a home for Ziggy but no one seems to want him. Well I'm not sure yet on Hercules, I'm kinda waiting to hear back from Jenn after she gets Sebastian combo tested.

The new girl, Annabel well I'm not sure about if we are going to rehome her or not just yet. I have rehomed a lot of cats, don't get me wrong here we don't keep them all :) even though at times I'd love to.

I was thinking if there was a way I could raise money to help spay/neuter cats out in my sister's area and my area and if becoming non profit could help things then that might be useful.

Also, I was thinking about creating a website that people could go to that rescue cats and need funds to help them out at the vets, etc.

Of course though that would take a lot of $$. I was just thinking it's sad that there are not funds out there for people like me or people who do a lot more than me and they pay out of their own pocket to do so. Of course we do it for the love of the animals but it would make it easier to spay/neuter if we had the funds to do it. I guess that's were I'm thinking if I became a non profit rescue I could help fix cats, return them to an area where they are getting fed, looked in on, etc. But then with having a full time job plus my own kitties maybe it's just better if I try to hold a yard sale to help pay for some vetting expenses.

Melissa

Are you planning to rehome any of the cats you have?

The not for profit has to have a mission, a purpose. And caring for the pet you have doesn't qualify; sadly! :D

So if you are going to keep them, then you would need a facility, a shelter.

If you are rehoming them as they arrive (Hercules comes in, but another one just got rehomed so went out), then that would work.

[Karen]

Yeah, probably best at this point to do the yard sale. Becoming a real certified 501(c) 3 is a lot of paperwork, and there are legal expenses as well, particularly if you want to have a lawyer do, or at least go over the paperwork for you. It takes considerable time, too.

Do you put up flyers in the supermarket and laundromats for the cats you have that are ready for new homes? Would your vet's office let you post one there?

[Anikaca77]

Yeah, probably best at this point to do the yard sale. Becoming a real certified 501(c) 3 is a lot of paperwork, and there are legal expenses as well, particularly if you want to have a lawyer do, or at least go over the paperwork for you. It takes considerable time, too.

Do you put up flyers in the supermarket and laundromats for the cats you have that are ready for new homes? Would your vet's office let you post one there?

Yeah a yard sale might just be better. I don't want to get sued or anything like that. I do put flyers up in supermarkets, laundromats, vet offices, and online, Petfinder, etc. but I think it's just everyone is overwhelmed as well or they are not wanting to adopt a cat. I might try to place some cans around town to see if anyone would like to donate extra change to getting cats fixed.

Thanks!
Melissa

[dehlers43]

You know, if you have a vet you normally use maybe you can set something up with them, like start a special fund for spay/neuter, etc. That way people can donate directly to the vet (like we sometimes do here on PT). Folks may be more willing to hand over $$ to a vet than to an individual....just a thought....

[lvpets2002]

:) I so aggree.. Good Thought..


You know, if you have a vet you normally use maybe you can set something up with them, like start a special fund for spay/neuter, etc. That way people can donate directly to the vet (like we sometimes do here on PT). Folks may be more willing to hand over $$ to a vet than to an individual....just a thought....