Fostering. Utter disgust

fastnoc

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I decided months ago I was going to drop the existing place I was offering to foster pregnant or newborn kittens. They didn't send anyone my way anyway.

So i set out on a quest. I looked everywhere I could think In phoenix for a place to offer help to. I know this is kitten season and is a good time to help.

I've emailed and called NUMEROUS places here. Every one I can think of. Not a solitary one of them has even bothered to return the email or phone call.

What really irks me about this is I KNOW there are way more strays that need help than there are people to help them. So there's no doubt in my mind people should be jumping on the chance to get someone to help them.

Not a single solitary response.... Nothing.

What a sad experience.
 

belongstoevie

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That really is such a shame. I went through a similar problem when I was trying. NO ONE contacted me for quite some time. Then, all at once two places called me. Now I'm in contact with a third!

In fact, one of the places I tried to work with charges their volunteers a fee!!
Can you imagine? It's not much, but you have to PAY to foster kitties...


Don't know how long you've been trying, mine took about a month. And don't know how much patience you have, but I would say, don't give up. It's the kitties that need you. At some point, some one will get a clue. I'm sure most places are just over worked and under-staffed.

Thanks for trying.
 

mom of 4

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Thank you for trying.

Evie, I bet the reason they charge the fosters is to prevent an unknown person from getting hold of kittens. Or prevent someone from impulsively volunteering. Bottomline, it protects the cats.
 

marianjela

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I agree, dont give up, remember a lot of places are run by volunteers. It was months before I finally heard something, then when I did they called me again a week later asking me to foster another family. I reminded them that I already had one and they didnt know.

Sometimes one hand doesnt know what the other is doing.

Anyway. I hope you hear from someone soon!
 
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fastnoc

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I appreciate your comments ( all three of you ). Hopefully i'll get a call.

The thing is my window of opportunity to help will be starting to close soon. I mean I could still take cats in, but by the end of what I assume would be a whole cycle I don't know that I'd still be able to do it.

Sigh....Hopefully someone will call.
 

cc12

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Keep calling. I volunteer for a organized well funded shelter but some are on bare bones. They don't have a lot of time to answer calls. Maybe visit in person and see if you can speak with someone.
Most shelters are doing the best that they can.
 

marianjela

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Originally Posted by CC12

Maybe visit in person and see if you can speak with someone. Most shelters are doing the best that they can.
Oh that's true. I had to pay personal visits to my shelter to pick up eye medicine for a litter of fosters once because they didnt check their email or phone messages on a regular basis.

I hope things work out - dont get discouraged - your heart is in the right place!
 

mrblanche

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Actually, the "kitten rush" is largely over in our area, and since your temps are high sooner than ours, that may be the case where you are, too.
 

icklemiss21

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Kitten rush is far from over in my area.

The problem with most shelters is that they are run by volunteers, and as much as they appreciate the help of volunteers, you can't always rely on a network of volunteers to pass on messages.

For example: we have a notebook for (volunteer) receptionists to write messages in, if a message comes in for a board or staff member, they are supposed to write it in that book, let the adoption counsellor working that day know in case it needs to be dealt with immediately and put a copy in our inbox.

I am at the shelter at least 4 times a week and check my box and emails very regularly, some of our other board members are less involved with the actual animals and do more admin work or fundraising etc and so don't get into the shelter as often to check messages so they are also supposed to be sent to us by email or phone. I check the reception book every time I go in to make sure there are none missed, and often find things in there with my name highlighted beside the message but not in my inbox. Or find them in my inbox but not passed on my email/phone. Now in my case they do get found within a week - but with some of the others, less so.

In the mean time another receptionist takes a call complaining that no one has got back and does the same thing and it takes the person following up on the calls more time than it should because there is no consistency and more than one message from the same person and people haven't dated them etc so you know what is oldest.

Don't get me wrong, we have some great volunteers and appreciate everyone, but people do fall through the cracks because of them being volunteer run.
 

ipw533

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Fees are charged legitimately for a number of reasons. The two main ones are to raise money and to discourage "bunchers".

Most rescue groups are volunteer organizations and have to find a way to pay for the cats they help. Vets will offer to volunteer their time for free, and a facility such as animal control may allow its OR to be used at no cost, but the group still has to pay for things like anesthesia, oxygen and other medical supplies. The volunteers often pay for food and litter out of their own pockets; a well-organized group has a fund to help with that. Where does it come from? Adoption fees--and we do tend on average to spend more than we recoup.

The fees are charged to those permanently adopting the cats--I've never heard of a temporary foster being charged a fee. Most fosters are up to their eyeballs, especially at this time of year. Charging them a fee would be somewhere between schtoopid and suicidal.

The fees charged to permanent adopters not only cover medical costs but discourage "bunchers". Bunchers are people who collect cats and kittens specifically for resale to laboratories and other operations requiring animal subjects. A fee cuts into their profit margin, so they go elsewhere. A person who spends at least some money on a cat wants that cat and has an investment--a "free" cat is just a commodity.

Yeah, it's not ideal. But it works....
 

luvmyfurbabys

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Originally Posted by fastnoc

I decided months ago I was going to drop the existing place I was offering to foster pregnant or newborn kittens. They didn't send anyone my way anyway.

So i set out on a quest. I looked everywhere I could think In phoenix for a place to offer help to. I know this is kitten season and is a good time to help.

I've emailed and called NUMEROUS places here. Every one I can think of. Not a solitary one of them has even bothered to return the email or phone call.

What really irks me about this is I KNOW there are way more strays that need help than there are people to help them. So there's no doubt in my mind people should be jumping on the chance to get someone to help them.

Not a single solitary response.... Nothing.

What a sad experience.
Where are you located I know a shelter bursting with kits needing fostering.
 

catsknowme

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Originally Posted by luvmyfurbabys

Where are you located I know a shelter bursting with kits needing fostering.
Sending prayers and vibes that you two make the connection very soon - those kitties need the help
 
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