Stuck up Animal Rescue Organization

**Scooby4** · 10-09-2005, 05:46 PM

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** · 10-09-2005, 06:57 PM

"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** · 10-09-2005, 07:13 PM

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** · 10-09-2005, 07:16 PM

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

**Twisterdog** · 10-10-2005, 08:33 AM

Originally Posted by Scooby4

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** · 10-10-2005, 11:32 AM

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** · 10-12-2005, 05:18 PM

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** · 10-12-2005, 06:45 PM

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** · 10-12-2005, 07:08 PM

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** · 10-12-2005, 07:19 PM

Originally Posted by 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.

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.

**catnapper** · 10-12-2005, 07:13 PM

Originally Posted by Scooby4

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.