Anyone work in surgery for feral cats?

I have set up an account with a nonprofit to accept donations for feral cat surgeries. I am the only trapper in my community, doing this for 3 1/2 years, Have only used this particular org for the surgeries. On 4 occaisions they told me some cats were already eartipped, but I was still charged for the surgery. I understand if the cat went under anesthesia I would be charged as they are using drugs and whatever other supplies, I have no problem with that. The problem I have is that many times the ear tipping is not done straight across the ear but on an angle and it is not clearly identified. If they charge me for the surgery then I think they could not identify the tipping they themselves did for there must be some kind of preop assessment  done when they would check the left ear.

The last time I brought 4 ferals, this was in Oct,  there was a new doctor doing the surgery. The mobile surgical van is always gone when I am called to pick up the cats as they do my ferals last, pets are done first. This doctor left a message for me saying I would not be charged for 2 of them as they had their ear tipped, but were given Revolution. 

It has taken this long for the director to send me a copy of my account, I need to ask for it at least 2-3 times and I now see that I was charged for 4 cats. This has happened too many times so now I believe I am being charged even though they know the cat is eartipped, 

Those of you familiar with the preop assessment, also the surgical records, can I get a copy of the cats record to indicate if they were indeed given anesthesia? Also, if they have done the eartipping improperly, shouldn't we, at the least, split the cost?

Not related, but I once sent in a check for $100 that was not credited to my account and had to send them a copy of the check to prove that it was sent and deposited. That is why I need a copy of their record to make sure it coinsides with my account.

As a related factor, the community has a raffle whose  funds are sent to this account so the community may have an interest in the situation, I would think.

I left a message on the organizations phone to express my concerns, I was upset at the time so I know I sounded displeased.

Any thoughts on how I should handle this matter?

Thank you.

Karen

There should always be paperwork given at the time of pick up.

It is the caretaker's record that the particular cat was fixed, vaccinated, tested, etc. whatever is done, so you must be given a copy of it.

If it was them who fixed and eartipped the cat, then there is no reason at all you should be charged the full amt, however normally if they do not see an eartip, the cat is put under and shaved, only to find the tattoo mark from a former surgery.

So usually the cost is half due to cost of anesthesia and shaving.

Try not to be upset with them, it's common for the coordinator make mistakes, just be sure you are given the invoice/record of what was done for each cat, and when an issue arises just be sure to bring it to their attention.

I have a record for each of my ferals.  When they are fixed they give me a receipt just like at my regular vet except hand written.  They put stickers off the vials for all immunizations done at that visit.  I payed for the ferals I care take, but I know the group I use has a state grant to fund large colonies or low income. Also the vet that does ours is a local vet so she is also available in her office if we need her after surgery.

Since you are the only trapper could you switch the account for yourself and only pay at time of actual spay/neuter via debit or check?

The spay/neuter clinic I use gives one reciept for the surgery and another for vaccinations.  The owner or caretaker is asked to provide as much of a description of each cat as possible.  This is partly because they do between 70 and 80 cats a week, so they want to make sure the correct cat goes back to the correct owner.  With ferals, it is often difficult to tell one tabby from another, especially if they are in a carrier or trap.

When they get an ear tipped cat in, they check the gender.  If the owner/caretaker asks, they will shave the belly if its a girl to make sure she is spayed.  They started this because they had a cat with an ear that looked tipped but apparently was just torn.  SHE ended up back at the clinic the next year, after having had one more litter.  The caretaker was upset but felt lucky she'd been able to trap her again!

These clinics are usually run by volunteers and are always hectic and crazy.  The bookkeeping can be tremendously hard to keep track of.  Have you thought about volunteering on clinic day?  You are doing enough as the only trapper but this might help you keep an eye on your own cats and give them the extra set of hands they seem to need.

Many vets will give a written estimate prior to treating the cat, and all vets should give an itemized bill after treatment. If I have any questions about something on my bill, I ask before I pay. Am I understanding correctly that the vet clinic has access to your account and deducts money from there? It might be best if you arranged to pay each cat's bill after the surgery and set up your account with a bank..

If the cats were ear-tipped, the vet and vet techs should have looked closely prior to putting the cats under anesthesia. I can't understand how a clinic that treats ferals would charge a volunteer TNR person for surgery that was not performed. Is there another clinic in your area that treats ferals, or is this the only one? If what happened to you happened to me, I'd be really unhappy. Also, I hope they are giving you a discount for the TNR cats. The clinic I use gives me a discount for the ferals and strays I bring them, and also boards them a few days for free. I hope you can meet with the director of the clinic or main doctor and express your concerns and that something can be worked out for you. You are doing an invaluable service for your community.

I appreciate all your replies. I have thought to volunteer when I bring the cats, they seem to have enough but many times I have to travel 1 1/2 hrs to the various sites they bring the mobile surgical van and I have to stay around the area anyway. I do get a form for the cats after surgery indicating the sex and the sticker for the rabies. It does not actually state the cat had surgery. The woman who cares for the 2 last cats not having surgery but was charged comes into her house now occaissionally during this winter. She told me the cat still does not appear to be eartipped which should have ben done even if it was already sterilized. I can't say if I am given a form for the cats previously sterilized. Never have I brought a cat for surgery that I wasn't charged, whether they operated or not, however many cats I bring in, usually around 5 but once I even had a dozen, I am always charged for each one.

As far as the account, they are a non profit and I am not so I cannot get the money from the community raffle. That is what the community's lawyer told the manager. I hate the thought of the paperwork and all that's involved to become a nonprofit myself to avoid this, but even if I have the funds, the organization will still be charging me. They collect the surgical fee when the cats arrive.

I don't understand why they would charge for the cats they don't operate on as that affects the number of cats I can bring in for surgery, the cats are the ones who suffer, it makes no sense.

Have not heard from them yet.

Karen

That is sad that they do that.  I have seen the surgery days where I have my cats done.  They are scruffed out of the carrier injected and go limp immediately in their hands.  The line them up like an assembly line and then are put back in carriers with blankets.  It is a scary sight to see. I really like the vet and the volunteer.  I think they do a good job with the limited resources and time. I would take them to my personal vet, but they do not handle ferals and the cost would be around $250 a cat w/o shots or FIV/FEVL testing.