When Good Intentions Go Wrong... Sad Situation With Cat Shelter

I guess I just need to vent about this to other cat lovers. There's a really sad situation going around my Facebook groups, and I can't stop thinking about it.

So there's this small shelter/sanctuary for special needs cats... run pretty much entirely by one person and a few occasional volunteers, out of a very small apartment. There are probably 25-35 cats, and none of them are adoptable. So I guess it's not really a shelter... more like a group forever home for cats that might have a hard time finding a forever home elsewhere, due to medical issues, past abuse, unsocialized, etc. But that being the case, they can't make any profit, and the result is that the place (i.e. the owner who is broke) is *constantly* begging, in extreme emotional distress, for financial help across these various groups.

Some people do donate, but not nearly enough. It's hundreds of dollars every day stacking up... another day, another desperate post begging for funds to save some cat's life. Many of these cats are in dire need of medical help but are forcibly discharged from the vet hospitals because the funds are not paid. The thing is, this isn't a new thing or just a one-time emergency... it's been going on constantly for literal years, if you scroll back. Some of the cats have died and some of them have pulled through, barely, only to be the victims of another financial crisis sooner or later. This one poor cat has been in chronic kidney failure for at least two years with a whole host of other issues--including, I believe, stomatitis--and at least once a week I see a post begging for help to pay for her special food, or her fluids, or her vet bills, or her pain medication, etc... in and out of the hospital constantly with pictures of her poor terrified little face... telling how much she's suffering and how they can't even afford the vet... while she just survives.

I actually volunteered there once several months back, after seeing a request for help administering medication to some of the cats, after the owner was injured and mostly bedridden. I was admittedly pretty shocked at what I witnessed there. The extreme ammonia smell whacked me in the face as soon as I entered... but you could smell it all the way down the hall as soon as the elevator doors opened. The cats seemed fine and friendly at first, but there were WAY too many of them in that tiny space. There was so much coughing and sneezing, runny eyes and hair falling out, and vomit and feces literally smeared all across the ground. I had to throw away my shoes after being there. Some of the cats just peed in the shower or on the tile because of their various health issues. I was there just to help with medication and giving subcutaneous fluids, but I ended up staying for several hours just to try to clean the place up a bit because I felt so awful for the cats (and person!) living in that environment. To be fair, I think I probably saw the place at its worst, since the owner had been incapacitated for a few days and unable to keep things cleaned up, but still.

I did meet that one cat with kidney issues while I was there, and she really stuck in my mind because she reminded me a lot of Chai (semiferal and unable to be touched, more aggressive than Chai, but still with a kindness and desire to trust in her eyes)... and it's just breaking my heart to see these constant posts, not just now but over months and years, about how she's always on the brink of death and suffering immensely because they can't even afford to give her pain meds. I hate to say it, but I almost wish to see the news that she's passed away or been put to sleep, so that at least I know she's not continually in extreme suffering.

It's really sad because I know the owner absolutely loves cats and does have the purest of intentions, and truly believes they are giving these cats a good life that they otherwise wouldn't have, a life that (the owner believes) no one else could possibly provide them... but to me it seems like the end result is just a lot of pain and suffering and stress for both owner and cats.

What would you do if you were in this owner's situation? I guess I can't say for sure since I've never been in a situation like that, but I just don't understand how this sanctuary thinks it's helping the cats when it hasn't been able to afford basic medical care or even proper food for years. I just wish this person would rehome/adopt out as many of the cats as they could, sadly consider euthanasia for the ones whose quality of life is terrible, and most of all stop acquiring new cats. We can't save them all.

This breaks my heart. I think she really needs to consider rehoming. Maybe I'm just being naive, but there has to be people out there who would be willing to help special needs cats like them, like foster homes. Yeah her intentions are made out of love and the desire to help, but in the end she is technically denying these cats the possibility of a better life. I really hope things improve for everyone somehow. It makes me so sad to think about Bless her wonderful heart, though, she sounds like a sweet woman.

You need to report this to someone, this is not a legit rescue or sanctuary, it sounds like a hoarder situation that's well out of hand. It seems like every day a new story breaks about a horror show of dead and suffering animals in someone's "rescue". A quick death is not the worst thing that can happen to an animal.

This is terrible, no animal deserves to live like this or to suffer because their caretaker lacks the funds to provide them with medical care . Contact your local animal protection agency and report this situation. Hopefully they can work with her to get medical treatment and adopt out as many of these cats as possible and reduce those in her care to a manageable number.

I echo what susanm9006 and goingpostal said. This person, and these cats do need help. But I understand the feeling of not wanting this person to feel, or be treated like a neglectful abusive "rescuer" when they really do have good intentions. They're overwhelmed and can't care for them all. How does this person acquire these cats, do people drop them off, or do they go out and collect them themselves?
Hoarders to me are no different than anyone else with some kind of mental illness. In my opinion, they need help, not to be cuffed, put in a police cruiser and stuck with a bunch of animal cruelty charges. Even though these cats are suffering, it's not at the hands of someone who is being outright cruel, it's at the hands of someone who cared a little too much for too many, and are now in over their head.
If there's a mental health place that you could call to have someone talk with them, that might be a good step to take so they don't feel like they're being treated like a criminal.
Not too long ago a rescue we were familiar with was shut down. It started out as a small group of people fostering dogs and cats in their homes. Soon, people looking to dump off "problems" treated them like the city dump and were dumping off sick, elderly, aggressive, and incapacitated animals and they simply couldn't afford to care, vet, train, and feed them all. It was a very sad situation all around.

I know... I feel stuck. I don’t know what to do, or what I even can do. If I were in the USA I would report easily, but it’s a very different mindset and situation here (in Korea) and I’m genuinely not sure who to even talk to that would do anything... not to mention the language barrier. Generally, on a government level, there are rarely legal repercussions for animal mistreatment here (and what’s counted as mistreatment is a whole lot different from the USA). You can tie up your dog to a short chain and leave it outside 365 days a year and nobody cares if it has mats or bad teeth or is sick or is horribly undersocialized, as long as there’s food and water in its bowl. These cats technically have food and water and a place to live, and aren’t being actively abused... and I guess you could argue it’s better than them dying alone without any care at all in the pound... so I honestly don’t believe anything would happen. Maybe a fine at most (which is the last thing that place needs). When it comes to animal rescue here it’s basically a lot of nonprofit organizations and individual people doing their best. There was a big animal welfare society but it has gone through massive scandals in the past few years, like lying about fundraising and killing nearly all of the pets it rescued. The reputable ones are usually focused on extreme situations like dog meat farms.

However, this cat “shelter” has very close ties with most all of the animal protection agencies already, based on their facebook interactions, and is respected and well-regarded in the 8,000+ member animal rescue networking group. I know the various rescue groups and all their directors are definitely aware of the situation, but they just seem sympathetic. It kind of shocked me. Unless there’s documented abuse or willful neglect (I guess constantly asking for crowdfunding and spending every last penny selflessly on the cats somehow negates that), it’s more just seen as a sad situation reflective of the sad, underfunded state of cat rescue, and everyone’s encouraged to donate.

I totally agree with you @ bruce... but mental health care is critically lacking here, too. It’s hard enough to get taken seriously about something like depression, let alone get help for a hoarding disorder or something of that nature.

The owner even took in a foster kitten recently despite everything going on with the other cats, and that’s the first time I did see some mild backlash against this shelter. Owner was very defensive (not keeping it forever, just temporary, otherwise the poor baby would’ve died on the streets, etc) and was generally applauded by the community. It just baffles me. And saddens me

1 bruce 1 said:

How does this person acquire these cats, do people drop them off, or do they go out and collect them themselves?

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It seems to be through various situations of “hey, there’s this feral cat with a broken leg and multiple severe health issues that no one will adopt and will probably be euthanized, please help” and then the person will take the cat in. While visiting the house, I was told emphatically just how unadoptable all these cats were and all the details of their various problems and daily care requirements just to keep them alive.

I mean, I think animal rescue can be a wonderful thing, and I think euthanasia is of course very sad when the problems are treatable. And of course I have a huge soft spot for special needs cats (after having a three legged toothless semiferal with multiple health issues that cost me a fortune)! But I just feel like in this case, something’s gotta give, for the sake of the animals. It seems like the prevailing mindset here (and to some extent in the US, to be fair) is *save the animal from death at all costs, no matter the situation*.... which I just don’t personally agree with. Sometimes it’s kinder to just let them go. :/

It's so sad. Her intentions are good but the mentality that an animal is better off suffering then dead is just not valid. I would feel bad for reporting it but I would feel worse that those animals are in a lot of pain and suffering from there living situation alone. Even if a few do get the medical help they need, they can't properly recover in an environment like that, especially from surgeries.
I believe peta had issues like this at their no kill shelters where they just devolved into a lot of suffering and over crowding.
She may also not even see clearly how bad it is.

Can you get some volunteers together to help keep the place clean and the animals medicated? And perhaps have a serious talk with her about maybe euthanizing sooner when a cat is chronically ill. I don't think continuing heroic care should be considered when financing is tight.

Willowy said:

Can you get some volunteers together to help keep the place clean and the animals medicated? And perhaps have a serious talk with her about maybe euthanizing sooner when a cat is chronically ill. I don't think continuing heroic care should be considered when financing is tight.

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There do seem to be a lot more volunteers these days (I last visited a while ago) so that’s good. I know they recently moved to another house that seems much cleaner and bigger based on the photos. But yeah, the really sick cats in and out of the hospital due to no money seems to be the main problem now. I could try talking to her about it, although we’re not very close so I don’t know how well my words would be received. She actually forgot who I was the last time I messaged her despite the fact that we had met and spoken multiple times. Maybe I can find a mutual friend who could approach her about it? I CAN’T be the only one concerned about this...

The cat in question is apparently doing better... but may still die if she gets discharged from the hospital... and they are still hundreds of dollars in debt to the vet...

Oh this really is so heartbreaking. I have not been in this owner's situation, but I am quite sure I would not want any of my cats to bear any further physical pain and discomfort. The intentions are good, but it is not enough. I just hope this owner realizes that the cats need more than her pity.

rosegold said:

It seems to be through various situations of “hey, there’s this feral cat with a broken leg and multiple severe health issues that no one will adopt and will probably be euthanized, please help” and then the person will take the cat in. While visiting the house, I was told emphatically just how unadoptable all these cats were and all the details of their various problems and daily care requirements just to keep them alive.

I mean, I think animal rescue can be a wonderful thing, and I think euthanasia is of course very sad when the problems are treatable. And of course I have a huge soft spot for special needs cats (after having a three legged toothless semiferal with multiple health issues that cost me a fortune)! But I just feel like in this case, something’s gotta give, for the sake of the animals. It seems like the prevailing mindset here (and to some extent in the US, to be fair) is *save the animal from death at all costs, no matter the situation*.... which I just don’t personally agree with. Sometimes it’s kinder to just let them go. :/

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I couldn't agree more, my friend. There are worse things than a fast, painless and merciful death.

Maria Bayote said:

Oh this really is so heartbreaking. I have not been in this owner's situation, but I am quite sure I would not want any of my cats to bear any further physical pain and discomfort. The intentions are good, but it is not enough. I just hope this owner realizes that the cats need more than her pity.

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You said it. Intentions do mean something, but they don't pay the pauper and don't fix the problems.

Unfortunately it looks like they couldn’t raise the money to treat the sick kitty at the vet... she went back to the shelter and passed away there. So sad. Rest in peace little one.

that is very sad to hear about that sick kitty, may her soul rest in peace.

Maybe you can help the volunteers by asking them to put up flyers for donations to their cause with their bank account details. There has to be some organisations that she may link up with to donate money for the cause. Or have a fundraising day or night were people come along and pay 2 dollars to play a sport game or do something fun to help fundraise money. Or you could start a fundraiser at your work for the cause ? It is sad that the animal agencies are not doing much for them.

Have they tried a Gofund me page, or change.org website to raise awareness about their needing help.

I wish i was a millionaire cause i would be donating money to them and many other organisations around the world to help animals. It is sad that good people who are trying to do the good things never get the help needed and they suffer while watching the very being that they are trying to save suffer and die. This world is cruel

I could easily see myself going down that road so I have to constantly put a hard stop on "There's another stray/feral running around outside, I should trap it and bring it in". Especially during Kitten season when my foster room is already occupied, I have no money to spare for another Cat, and the shelters are all overloaded and have pages of people on a waiting list meaning I'd be taking care of more Cats for months.

Technically I have room for maybe 3 more foster Cats but without being able to afford proper care what would I really be doing but potentially exposing the Cats I'm already taking care of (not to mention my own Cats) to parasites and diseases?

Sometimes you just can't save them all.

Yeah, that's a tough situation... the cats would be better off rehomed or in a shelter, rather than living in filth and squalor. The person's intentions may have been honorable in the past, but this sort of situation is totally out of hand, and it's not fair to the cats. Most site members here know that cats are good for the soul, but what about each cat's soul? Shouldn't cats be allowed to live in a clean healthy environment, free from filth and squalor? Even in my current financial situation, I can still offer a nice clean home for four cats, and I don't mind doing the work that entails... keeping dishes clean, removing waste from litter boxes, etc. Hearing about the sort of situation described in this thread just makes me feel sorry for the cats... what did they do to deserve this?

Sidewinder said:

the cats would be better off rehomed or in a shelter, rather than living in filth and squalor.

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If there are no available homes, and no reputable shelters, as it sounds like in this situation, the question becomes "are they better off dead or living on the streets, or in slightly substandard conditions with food, medical care, and attention"? And then it's not so easy.

Worst-case scenario: Craigslist Korea

rosegold said:

Unfortunately it looks like they couldn’t raise the money to treat the sick kitty at the vet... she went back to the shelter and passed away there. So sad. Rest in peace little one.

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So very sorry to hear this news.

I wouldnt rehome them to a stranger, i understand that there are good people out there who may genuinly want to look after a sick animal, but in korea i have read and see way too many videos and it is horrific . Here in australia, if i had to rehome a pet i would rehome it with a relative. I wouldnt trust people in this day and age to look after a cat or an animal, the sad world we live in is that you dont know who you are sending the pet home with as there are mentally sick people out there. There are many horror stories in australia with animal abuse too and all over the world.

If the cat is that sick that its quality of life is limited and is suffering because there are no pain medication to give etc, then i would put the poor thing down than let it suffer in pain. I dont know this is a sad situation. Maybe on this website we can start a charity fund of some sort to help them and many others who have difficulties paying for vet bills. I wish the government would make vet costs cheaper, its more expensive to own a pet than it is to look after a child here in australia.