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How do shelters clear potential adopters?

post #1 of 10
11/28/09 at 10:59am
Thread Starter 
What exactly are the qualifications for getting kittens from a shelter?
My sister is jobless, living on social security and her husband only works sometimes. They have moved into about 5 different appts. in the last year as well as some time in a homeless shelter.

I have gotten three cats from her. The first one was declawed and afraid of everything when it got to me. Supposedly her first husband was not good to the poor thing. Under my love and care she turned out to be a wonderful cat and I grieved deeply when she died from cancer.

After an apartment change they had to get rid of the two cats that they had at the time. Of course we took them in. They were very wild when they first got here. They did not have their shots, were not spayed and they would meow loudly at everything and anybody. Turns out that her care was feeding them, and then leaving them outside all day and night if they wanted.

Now, I hear from another sister that she just got two new kittens from a shelter. I am beside myself. She is having a tough time getting her life together and I really just think she should have waited. Don't shelters have standards for potential adoptees or is it just if they can pay for the kittens?

I don't know...maybe I am being too tough on her. I really can't take these two in if she has another living change and I am afraid she will just leave them outside... Please don't get me wrong. I love my sister and do what I can to help her...Everything will probably be fine. I guess I am prematurely worrying. Thanks for letting me vent.
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post #2 of 10
11/28/09 at 3:14pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by JIL05 View Post

Don't shelters have standards for potential adoptees or is it just if they can pay for the kittens?
Oh, they usually do have quite stricts standards. Often they even overdo some.

What does your sis tells about this?

Some guesses:

1. She managed to find this one of the few shelters with bad standards. As soon she manages to find such a shelter, she does have her source.

2. It was no real shelter, but perhaps some sort of hoarder without any real standards, but politely called for shelter...

3. It was a kill shelter. Or perhaps even a de facto death chamber, killing the admitted "strays and founds" after one week.
In such a case they would be more than happy if someone gave the cats at least a shadow of chance.
This is a quite probable scenario, a subvariation of the 1.

4. She is good at talking people into things. Somewhat manipulative if you prefer.


Tx a lot for helping these cats, and also helping your sis!
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post #3 of 10
11/28/09 at 7:36pm
Some shelters you walk in, walk out - no fee, minimal paperwork. Most often they are impound facilities that hold strays.

I've also had people lie on applications, hence why we do call the vet & personal references (lies in regards to owning their home when they rent, past pets, etc).
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post #4 of 10
11/28/09 at 7:45pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by white cat lover View Post
Some shelters you walk in, walk out - no fee, minimal paperwork. Most often they are impound facilities that hold strays.

I've also had people lie on applications, hence why we do call the vet & personal references (lies in regards to owning their home when they rent, past pets, etc).
I have adopted from many and

Some check references and make you wait a day or two while they do ... Others check criminal records ( in some area this is instantly) ..

others go fill out name, phone, address and spay/ neuter contract and here is your new animal

Some ask five pages of Questions then you still are screened over the phone yet never check a reference if you answer the questions half decently
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post #5 of 10
11/29/09 at 5:41am
We have a two page application form, vet reference (unless they have previously been cleared as an adopter) but the vet reference doesnt always help if they dont currently have animals as they dont have a vet. We found personal references were useless as 99% of people choose someone who will tell us what we want to hear.

I am sure some fall through the cracks, but with higher adoption prices to try and ensure that animals arent going to people who cant afford them - it helps some.
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post #6 of 10
11/29/09 at 10:33am
Thread Starter 
Thank you all for your answers. I felt bad about writing that post about a sister and almost erased it. But as one who has taken in her cats when things go bad for her...I just want to make sure everyhing goes well this time.
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post #7 of 10
11/29/09 at 3:29pm
Unfortunately there are a lot of bad shelters out there that will give a pet to anyone with a few bucks and an ID. These are usually shelters that are ran by the city or county, like Animal Control facilities. Private shelters are usually better but not all. Unfortunately there are even some rescues that have very low standards for who they will adopt to.
I used to work with a small county pound that adopted out cats and dogs for $25 to anyone that walked in without asking a single question. An animal getting adopted is supposed to be a joyous occassion but with the animals at this shelter I always worried when one was adopted. There was no guarantee that they were going to a better place than the one they came from.

Hopefully the kittens your sister adopted will be okay. Maybe you can help her to make sure they get spayed or neutered and basic shots and vetting. A little bit of education can go a long way too. A lot of people care about their pets. They just don't know better.
If she was to abandon the kittens in the future maybe you could take them in as fosters until you find them new homes?

I didn't take your post as speaking ill about your sister. I took it as you expressing concern about the kittens and there is certainly nothing wrong with that. You're just being a good "aunt".
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post #8 of 10
11/29/09 at 6:27pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by JIL05 View Post
Thank you all for your answers. I felt bad about writing that post about a sister and almost erased it. But as one who has taken in her cats when things go bad for her...I just want to make sure everyhing goes well this time.
Hi,

don't feel bad about it. I can understand why this concerns you while at the same time you don't really want to speak bad of your sister

It doesn't sound like you can do too much about the situation. Maybe you could have one of her cats neutered as a christmas present (if they haven't already been neutered by the shelter) or every now and again check up on how these kitties are doing when you visit your sister (providing you live close by).

regards,

Christine
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post #9 of 10
11/29/09 at 11:31pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by cjh27 View Post
Maybe you could have one of her cats neutered as a christmas present
This sounds like an excellent, practical idea!

Many people are touchy about other minding their business or giving unasked advices. Not least, so are many of the people who DO have problems.


Giving a christmas gift, sis to sis, or neighbour to neighbor, goes around all these considerations. Even if she understands you in a way ARE going into her business, but her face is saved, and thus everything is OK. A win-win situation, and everyone are happy.
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post #10 of 10
11/30/09 at 7:26pm
My application for a cat adoption was turned down about 5 months ago because I dropped off a dog at the shelter 10 years ago..this shelter had about 100 cats in their "cat room" and I was willing to take one of them and give him a good home...other than dropping off the dog 10 years ago my application was fine..
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