Stuck up Animal Rescue Organization

[Scooby4]

My friend just adopted a Kitten from a local "Animal Rescue" organization. However, I am really having a hard time with this organizations rules and "demands" on adopted pets. I tried to warn my friend that this organization's rules are soo uptight and questionable. She fell in love with this kitten on the internet and wanted it.
I held onto the kitten as she filled out the paperwork. I listened in as this person explaned the "conditions" the pet had to adhere to IF she was allowed to keep the kitten!!! I don't think my friend comprehended the part of where they would NOT hesitate to take the kitten away from her BEFORE they had processed her credit card in 30 days.
The conditions were that she was to take the cat to the vet for it's initial shots within the first few weeks. OKAY with that. However, it had to be THEIR VET ONLY or the kitten could be taken away. She couldn't take the kitten to another vet closer to her home which is 25 minutes away. IF she could get another vet, the vet had to meet call them and meet thier "standards". Or the kitten gets taken away!
The kitten is only 8 weeks old and not old enough for spaying. She was told that she could ONLY have the kitten spayed at their vet when it was old enough. They told her it was "cheaper" at their vet's office and quoted a price much higher at other vet's offices. The quote wasn't accurate!!! If the kitten wasn't spayed in that time period, the kitten got taken away! I am very much FOR spaying/nuetering animals. However, I believe it is healthier for the animal to wait till AFTER it's first heat to be fixed. My cat had a HUGE bad experience with being fixed too young. I wish I had waited. My friend isn't given that option of waiting if she chose. There is much contraversial debate on this subject that I believe each owner should have the right to decide to wait or not wait. NOT to have it enforced upon them without doing research.
The last straw was that she had to sign an agreement that if she were to "give up" the cat, she MUST give the cat back to them!!! Even if she had someone else to take the cat, she had to give the kitten BACK to them for that person to adopt!!! The organization is already swamped with animals and doesn't have anymore space as it is!
The local Animal Control office does NOT recommend giving any animals to this organization!!! I had a dog I couldn't keep and the control office was full. They told me that the dog had a better chance of getting adopted at another shelter besides this organizations. There seemed to be serious issues between the two places.
When we walked into the place the dogs were no where to be found! I heard them but couldn't see them. The lady told me the dogs were kept outside ALL the time! They were only brought in when it was bad weather or at night. That seemed very odd to me for an animal rescue place to do this. I never did go back to see the dogs.
This place advertises on a local cable station. It upsets me to watch it. The lady brings up a dog and really trashes the owner's who gave up the pet! There are serious issues why a dog may have been given up and it isn't an easy decision. Then to have some woman on TV announcing to everyone how "bad" of an owner you were to have given up your pet!!! I've been forced to give up animals before due to circumstances beyond my control. I considered it like putting up a child for adoption. Hoping the animal could find a "better life" that I wasn't able to provide. Many animals are put up that way and NOT because of bad ownership. I'd sooner put a animal up for adoption than put it to sleep if I couldn't keep it. Do I need that broadcasted to everyone?
Sorry, I am ranting on this. Just made me soo angry. We have pets that are ready to be adopted into good homes but some organizations seem more concerned lining their own pockets than pet adoption. These people proudly announce they use their own "friends" for the services they provide. They then go raising money to support their own "friend" network. It seems the animals are caught in nowhere land while they play these games!!! Got sad story to tell... will sell for small donation for me!!!

[DJFyrewolf36]

It seems kind of shady to me that they require vetrinary care from a particular vet. Most rescues I know are HAPPY that people take thier animals to a vet on a regular basis, so long as the vet hasn't been reported as being neglegent. It also seems kind of wierd that they require spaying and nutering so early...what is the time period they give? I was told by my vet that the kitty had to be at least 6 months old...is this true (anyone?)

And last time I checked, once a dicision to allow a person to adopt is made, the shelter or rescue can't just swoop in and take the pet unless it is under abuse. Is this the case in some places? I know that thats the case here...and to prevent abuse a lot of shelters here do a lot of background checking and that I can understand.

I sure feel bad for the pets stuck in this shelter! Hopefully the red tape won't prevent animals from going into good homes.

[moosmom]

Can you say KICKBACK???

There's an organization in Michigan that I'm a little suspicious of that have space at PetSmart in Taylor.

Their requirements aren't as outrageous as what you've described. And I believe in being cautious to some extent. They are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. When you surrender a cat to them, they will only take in cats that are spayed/neutered and UTD on all shots. They charge an "adoption" fee of between $125.-$175!! That's shear profit for them. They don't have to do anything, and they have PetSmart employees caring for the cats when they aren't there. Hmmmmmm. Don't sound non-profit to me!!! I don't know how they get away with it either.

[Twisterdog]

Not having all the information about this organization, obviously none of us are getting the full picture. However, I will tell you about our local humane society, of which I was a member of the Board of Directors for years.

We also required people adopting animals to use one particular veterinary for follow-up vaccinations and spaying/neutering. The reason being is that vet gave us a HUGE price break, and without it, we would not have been able to make it financially and would have closed our doors.

Here's an example: Our adoption fee for a dog was $70. If we would have had to pay for vaccinations at the customer's vet of choice, they would have been between $35 and $75 each time. And a spay would have been about $85. So we would be paying vet bills of at least $200 for a dog that we received $70 for ... and that is not including and office calls the other vet would charge. You can see where we could not have continued as a going concern like this for long. Our vet, on the other hand, was a strong supporter of our organization, and charged us about $3 for vaccinations and between $20 and $35 for spays and neuters. This allowed up to make a little profit on the adoption fee, which then allowed up to pay for food, utilities, more extensive vet care for injured animals, etc.

Believe me, animal rescue is NOT a profitable business. No one is getting rich doing it, and no one's pockets are being lined with kickbacks. Every organization I've ever come in contact with is struggling, barely making it. One very sick or injured animal can cost an entire year's budget in vet care, even at reduced rates. NO ONE is getting rich doing this. Most of the people involved at the higher levels of a rescue organization end up spending thousands of dollars of their own money, just to keep the doors open. So, sorry, given the fact that these people are devoting hundreds of hours per month to this organization, most often without any pay, and pouring their own money into it to make ends meet sometimes ... I don't think your friend should complain about driving a little further to use a vet that is probably giving this organization a price break.

As for the early spay/neutering, I can tell you what they are probably thinking there, as well. I can tell you from decades of rescue/shelter work, there are lots of people who do care about the pet overpopulation problem and want their animal altered. But, there are just as many if not more who either don't care, don't want to take the time and make the effort to take the animal down for a (free to them!) spay or neuter, or WANT to breed the animal. I've have a LOT of people tell me, when I called to check on their pet and see if they had it altered yet, that they "decided" to breed it instead, sorry. Never mind that they signed a contract, promising to alter the animal. They "changed their mind". Sometimes, when we used to wait until the animal was six months old before alteration, the people had moved, changed their phone number, or given the animal away to someone else .... not yet spayed or neutered. Once in a while, the animal had already been bred and was pregnant, if her first heat came a little early. Do you have ANY idea who disheartening it is to be devoting every moment of your free time and every dollar you can spare to try to prevent animals from dying due to overpopulation ... only to find out an animal YOU placed in a home is now three states away, or given to someone's brother's cousin's friend, or is already pregnant? THAT is why we started insisting on early spays/neuters. Yes, there are disadvantages ... as well as advantages. But it is SO much easier to get the animal altered while it's still in our possession, or within a couple of weeks after being adopted, than trying to keep track of hundreds of people for six months.

If you haven't run a shelter/rescue, you really have no idea what the people who do go through. When you see hundreds of people every year who violate contracts and don't care, you MUST take precautions. Try to see this from the viewpoint of the people who are struggling to save the lives of thousands of animals per year. It's not about your friend and her slight inconvenience, really, it's about making sure thousands of animals get homes, not the gas chamber.

[Scooby4]

We have OTHER shelters that do run similar to Twisterdog's. I am okay with that and it is understood. The Two top shelter's here are run that way. Believe it or not the City's Animal shelter is the BEST! Unfornately, the Humane Society's facility isn't as well kept and the rules are "stiffer" but tolerable. (Cats NOT allowed outside at anytime etc...) The two shelter's are run under different funding and rules so that accounts for their variances. These two shelter's definetely do NOT make money. The City's shelter has now adopted a really stricter adoption policy which is beyond good. The adoption fee was raised substantially so to cover shots and fixing. The animals do NOT go home but straight to the vet's office for the procedures. The animals are then picked up a few days later at the vet's and any additional procedures are charged to the adopter's.
My problem with this organization is that it "falls through the cracks". It is NOT accountable to anyone. The City and the Humane Society does have a "higher authority" to account for them. This organization is an INDIVIDUAL's attempt. That means they pocket the money directly. Their "friends" donate the food so there is no costs related to that. The building was built by fundraising. No costs there. They charge $70 for the adoptions but the fixing isn't included. That and other vacination charges are the responsibility of the new pet owner. Of course those procedures are done at their "friends" vet clinic. Which ALWAYS mentions shots for additional possible "diseases" to protect the animal from...
So unlike Humane Society or the Animal Control center, this place is pure profit. Don't be fooled by it's "cause" to save animals. It barely costs them anything to take care of these animals. The workers are ALL volunteer except for the owners. Everything is usually "donated" and they have their own thrift store. It's like having a puppy mill without the breeding!

[lizbud]

"So unlike Humane Society or the Animal Control center, this place is pure profit. Don't be fooled by it's "cause" to save animals. It barely costs them anything to take care of these animals. The workers are ALL volunteer except for the owners. Everything is usually "donated" and they have their own thrift store. It's like having a puppy mill without the breeding! "


Until till you have walked in their shoes..... All else is just your opinion.

[Scooby4]

People who run puppy mills love animals too...Just because someone loves animals is it just to bring them into the world for profit then claim "love"?

[Cataholic]

I am afraid I must agree with Twister and Liz on this one.....

[Twisterdog]

This organization is an INDIVIDUAL's attempt. That means they pocket the money directly. Their "friends" donate the food so there is no costs related to that. The building was built by fundraising. No costs there. They charge $70 for the adoptions but the fixing isn't included. That and other vacination charges are the responsibility of the new pet owner. Of course those procedures are done at their "friends" vet clinic. Which ALWAYS mentions shots for additional possible "diseases" to protect the animal from...
So unlike Humane Society or the Animal Control center, this place is pure profit. Don't be fooled by it's "cause" to save animals. It barely costs them anything to take care of these animals. The workers are ALL volunteer except for the owners. Everything is usually "donated" and they have their own thrift store. It's like having a puppy mill without the breeding!

I don't mean to sound argumentative with you, especially since I don't know this organization personally. However, in all honesty, you have NO idea the costs involved with a rescue/shelter operation. Even if they receive donations, which most do, it is never enough. Some of our food and our building was donated, too. That doesn't mean we weren't up until 4:00 am many nights baking cookies so we could have a last minute, desperate bake sale in front of Walmart to try to make enough money to keep the electricity turned on for another month. ONE sick animal can wipe out a month's budget in one day at the vet. Until you have done this personally, you don't understand.

That having been said, I AM concerned by something you said. The adoption fee doesn't cover the alteration and vaccinations? The adoptor pays for them personally, on top of the adoption fee? If that's the case, that DOES seem a little strange to me.

[Scooby4]

That was my issue Twisterdog. The fact that fixing and vaccinations are NOT covered in the adoption fees. The other shelters typically put these charges into their adoption fees. It also raised my curiousity about the fee charges for these services. You can only use their vet at first. Who is announced as their "Friend". The volunteer worker then gives a quote/estimate of the cost of the fixing when done. That price is a little higher than normal. The worker then told my friend this is "Below the typical prices of other vets". They give them a "discount". This obvisously isn't true. But who is going to "shop around" at the point of adoption?
My point being is their adoption charge is $70 for a kitten. That doesn't include vaccinations or fixing. (They did put frontline on the kitten for free and not very nicely). They then require my friend to pay the additonal $100 for the spading later or they take the cat back. I've never paid $100 for fixing here. There are soo many special programs for fixing cost reductions that it typically costs 3/4 to 1/2 as much. Before the animal shelter installed their policy of fixing before adoption, they gave you a coupon to use at a vet's office. I got my kitten fixed for $75 and used any vet I liked.
I understand selling cookies and doing other fundraising for costs at a shelter. However, if you look at the business set-up of this business it does NOT have the same requirements as other shelters. I think that is why the Animal Control people are soo anti-against them. I've gotten it straight from an Animal control officer's mouth that this place is NOT recommended for putting an animal up for adoption. They've given out other resources instead. That is quite odd in my opinion. Since the Animal control center is soo overfilled even they are willing to make room for an animal BEFORE going to this shelter?
These people who run this shelter are not trained or licensed in animal care. They are licensed to have a business ONLY in pet sheltering. BIG difference. I reckon it was just the way I saw them actually care for animals while I was there that upset me the most. I was holding the kitten at the time they applied the Frontline. The worker applied it soo rough it hurt the kitten. The wrapper was scraping the kittens skin almost cutting it! I had to move the kitten and try to shield it from the woman. Then a dove accidently flew into the window. It fell to the ground and was unconscious. It was almost bleeding from it's mouth. I thought it may have broken it's neck! The worker saw it and wasn't going to do anything at first. I finally went outside to check on the bird myself. My friend's 4 year old was with us and ready to cry over the bird. The worker did come out and just picked up the bird and put it on the hood of a car. Then left the bird there and resumed the paperwork! I was dumbfounded. There is a local wild bird rescue group in town that may have been called or even their own vet.
That too me symbolized that this place wasn't caring about the animals as they are their profit lines. I reckon my idea of caring for animals is just different.

[carole]

I can understand you being a bit peeved at all the strict regulations they are demanding when adopting this kitten, but part of me see's it as a really good thing, some shelter's are just too darn easy for anyone to get a kitten from, I mean isn't it good to see them implementing strict rules, as to assure this kitten gets the best life possible, I do think they could bend them a little though and let you visit your own vet.however if it were me and I wanted this kitten I would adhere to anything set down before me,,anyway just my mere thoughts on it all.

[catnapper]

Hmmmm....I volunteer for a rescue with similar rules. Know what? they were put there for a reason. I WHOLE HEARTEDLY agree to returning the pet to the rescue if for any reason it doesn't work out. That way we can rehome to pet ourselves and know it found a good home instead of beng PTS at another overcrowded shelter.

We can take away cats if someone lets their kitty outside. They signed a contract stating they would not. If they do, they went against contract and we take the kitty back. WE've done it MANY times over. Its VERY important to us that the cats remain indoors only. Don't like it, don't adopt from us.

We don't mandate which vet you go to, but do like to know you're going to a good vet. We sometimes hesitate if we hear of a certain vet, because we know they are pretty bad, and people only go to them because they are cheap. We make recommendations when people ask.

Our adoption form has many points that you might offense to:
~ no declaw policy
~ ask that you leave a forwarding address should you move
~ We like to know what other animals you have, and how many, and what happened to past animals.
~ We ask how much momney you'd be willing to pay for veterinary care should this cat need extensive care. VERY interesting answers from that question
~ We ask if you own your home. We ask if your name is on the mortgage... if not, who is the ladlord, and what is thir number. We CALL to verify thy are ok with a cat on their property
~ We ask if your spouse (or partner, roomate, parents, etc) is ok with this.
~ We do mandatory vet checks
~ We do mandatory home visits

Why do we do all this? Because we CARE what happens to this cat. Because we want people to realize this is a LIFELONG adoption, to be taken seriously. We want ot weed out the people who like them now because they are cute and fuzzy, but then they return them once they resemble adult cats. We want to weed out the people who think a cat is merely a possesion, to be treated however they feel like. We want to weed out horders. We like to make sure they all go to good loveing LIFELONG homes. Mostly, if people are willing to agree to the terms, they are understanding that this is a true commitment and WILL make a great lifelong person. Yes, we still get returns, but not as many as we used to before the long list of "demands"

I suggest you try volunteering for an animal rescue before you judge too harshly.


PS: One thing we want to try to do? Insist on a "surrender fee" for people who drop off beloved Fluffy. If WE are going to care for their cat, then THEY should provide for him/her. If they aren't interested in her care, then they can drop her off at the Humane Society, where she will most likely be PTS. Once again, you don't like it, don't deal with us. But us "stuck up" rescues are the ones who do the most work, and honestly help the animals.

[Lady's Human]

Catnapper,

We have a pet we adopted from a shelter. The vet the shelter told us to go to was horrendous. They had no animal skills whatsoever. Had they told us that they were our only choice, were we to go back to the shelter to adopt another animal, no dice. The shelter did not object overtly to our choice of vets after the initial visit, but they weren't happy.

If I apply to adopt an animal, I'll give you all the references you want. However, I have a major issue with required home visits, the monetary questions regarding vet care, and the contract giving the shelter control over what they feel are acceptable living conditions for an animal. (for instance, if a cat is being adopted by a farmer, the cat is probably going to be outside mousing)I have no problem with the shelter wanting the animal back to the shelter if the situation doesn't work out between the animal and new owners, however some of those questions and demands are in my mind a serious invasion of my privacy.

[catnapper]

My problem with this organization is that it "falls through the cracks". It is NOT accountable to anyone. The City and the Humane Society does have a "higher authority" to account for them. This organization is an INDIVIDUAL's attempt. That means they pocket the money directly. Their "friends" donate the food so there is no costs related to that. The building was built by fundraising. No costs there. They charge $70 for the adoptions but the fixing isn't included. That and other vacination charges are the responsibility of the new pet owner. Of course those procedures are done at their "friends" vet clinic. Which ALWAYS mentions shots for additional possible "diseases" to protect the animal from...
So unlike Humane Society or the Animal Control center, this place is pure profit. Don't be fooled by it's "cause" to save animals. It barely costs them anything to take care of these animals. The workers are ALL volunteer except for the owners. Everything is usually "donated" and they have their own thrift store. It's like having a puppy mill without the breeding!

This one had to covered on its own. Do you think ALL cats are adopted before 6 months old? HA! I had 4 fosters running around here that reached 6 months old. 3 were spayed at once. $100 per cat spay - we won't use clinics because of problems encountered at clinics (my Abby was one problem child) Flutter and her sisters were all very expensive kitties who had many vet visits in their first 6 months. Angel... must be the million dollar kitten by now. She goes in tomorrow for surgery that costs... well, let just say it isn't cheap. WE have one FIV positive cat who spent the weekend at the emregency vet --- $4,000 so far for his care. Thats right, I didn't add on an extra little zero. I don't see anybody pocketing any extra money. WE get a $60 adoption fee. Believe me, it doesn't go far and I wish it was higher. So we spend LOTS of t ime fundraising to give the cats the care they need. My fosters get fed because *I* buy their food. I buy their litter. I am not given money or even donated food or litter.

[catnapper]

Catnapper,

We have a pet we adopted from a shelter. The vet the shelter told us to go to was horrendous. They had no animal skills whatsoever. Had they told us that they were our only choice, were we to go back to the shelter to adopt another animal, no dice. The shelter did not object overtly to our choice of vets after the initial visit, but they weren't happy.

If I apply to adopt an animal, I'll give you all the references you want. However, I have a major issue with required home visits, the monetary questions regarding vet care, and the contract giving the shelter control over what they feel are acceptable living conditions for an animal. (for instance, if a cat is being adopted by a farmer, the cat is probably going to be outside mousing)I have no problem with the shelter wanting the animal back to the shelter if the situation doesn't work out between the animal and new owners, however some of those questions and demands are in my mind a serious invasion of my privacy.

We try to soften the blow as best we can over ome of those questions. They are there for a reason though. Yes, sometimes I feel like a moron telling people our list of "demands" but it really is there to protect the cat.

Home visits? I basically walk in, drop off the cat and go. We volunteers aren't too thrilled on home visits, and I am one who thinks they are a waste of time. We had a huge uproar about home visits last month. I told them it was a stupid thing, because if anyone were to do a home visit for me right then and there, I'd have been deinied --- with pooopy butt Angel leaking verywhere (and I mean everywhere) the smells of diareah permeated the air..... I'd have been denied REAL fast. I have leared to trrust my instincts and watch people's body language. I have already decided before the home visit that the cat will stay there.