trying to rehome a cat and having a horrible time

[bastetservant]

At times when space is a problem, there are temporary cages set up in halls, offices, meeting rooms, etc. There is also a strong foster network to take cats and dogs out of the shelter into homes, if needed, for whatever reason, temporarily.

Also, adoption "events" are increased with staff and volunteers taking cats and dogs to lots of places where there is a lot of people.

Sometimes there are "specials" that reduce the price of the animals, and lots of advertising is done to get the word out on that.

Right now there are a number of empty cages, but I'm sure there are a lot of kittens in foster care, and they will be coming in. Kittens get adopted, though, with rare exceptions (usually black ones

)

As far as prosecuting the abandoners, who knows who they are? And besides, these shelters are run and staffed by caring, compassionate people who just want to help the animals, and the people. They wouldn't waste their time and energy on that.

Robin

 

[ziggy'smom]

Originally Posted by Willowy

When new strays show up, I'd be willing to drive to Chicago to place them in a nice shelter if it meant they wouldn't be killed and I wouldn't have to keep them.

Don't waste your gas money. I'm in Chicago too and I have yet to find a place that takes in adult cats other than the open admission shelters.

I really think the homeless cat and shelter situation looks differently depending on what side of the situation you are on. It looks very different for the shelter volunteer that comes in and takes care of cats and help them get adopted out than it does for someone who is out in the trenches, living in an area with a lot of unwanted animals and trying to help them. The volunteer at a good shelter just sees the positive side of the issue - well cared for cats who go on to new homes. It doesn't look quite as bright when you have 30 friendly cats running around in the alley and you're frantically emailing and calling every shelter and rescue within a hundred miles and never get a single one placed no matter how desperate their situation it.

I've volunteered at a few shelters too and from my experience volunteers don't really see everything that goes on at the shelter. I used to volunteer at an animal control facility and we volunteers just worked with the animals that were up for adoption. We never saw the majority that were kept in "staff only" rooms who for the most part didn't make it out alive.
Even if you volunteer at a no kill shelter you never see the hundreds of cats that are turned down. And every shelter turns animals down all the time. You can't run a no-kill shelter without turning down a lot of animals. Whenever I call no-kill shelters in northern Illinois to find rescue for a cat about to be euthanized or a sick one on the street I always get a no. Always. It doesn't matter if they will put up temporary cages in the hallway and have a good foster home network. They still have to turn down a lot of cats and what do you think happens to them?

Again, I'm not saying that there aren't great shelters that take good care of their animals. What I'm saying is that the animals that come to these shelters are the lucky few and if you want to get rid of your cat he is unlikely to be one of those lucky few. It's not fair or accurate to lead someone to believe that there is help for your cat if you need it, that all you have to do is to find a good shelter and they will take good care of your cat and find him a lovely new home. That's NOT reality! If you can't or won't keep your cat his outlook is not good and unless he is very lucky he will end up being killed at a scary shelter. That IS reality.

 

[Willowy]

Yeah, I know volunteers don't see everything. . .I was talking to one volunteer who told me that the shelter was absolutely no-kill, no matter what, and how wonderful everything was. So I looked up their website for her and showed her their shelter census right there on the site, and she was floored. She had no idea. I know that if shelters let volunteers see too much, they lose a lot of them.

 

[bastetservant]

Ziggy's mom, I would like to talk to you, and maybe help, if I can.

I think volunteers in shelters are protected, to a certain extent, otherwise it would be too overwhelming. But I'm a long time volunteer, and I know what goes on. Just this week I was consoling one of the vet techs about a cat with FIV that had to be pts when his kidneys shut down. I was saying to her that with this number of cats, we are going to lose some. I'm at the front desk often. I'm often the first one dealing with people and the cats they bring in. I'm one of the ones encouraged to spend time with the cats too upset or unsocialized to be adoptable yet, so they are kept in the back. I'm one of the cat volunteers continually interacting with the shelter director and staff to make improvements in the overall functioning of the shelter, and the welfare of individual animals. I know who dies. I know who is pts and why. But it happens rarely at my shelter. I'd estimate less than a dozen a year, out of hundreds.

I know a number of people involved in animal welfare in the area. I may be able to connect you with help. Please send me a PM.

Robin

 

[ziggy'smom]

Oh, I know there are great shelters that are truly no-kill and do a wonderful job with all their animals. I used to volunteer at a place like that in NW Illinois. They were really wonderful and I wish all shelters were like that. But until some drastic changes happens in our communities - more spay and neuter and responsible pet ownership - there is going to be shelters where controlling the animal population is their main goal rather than helping animals. There are just so many of them and too few of us who care enough to help.

 

[feralvr]

Originally Posted by Ziggy'smom

If you don't believe me why don't you help me find a place to take Goliath, a black and white stray that needs rescue asap. Help me make some phone calls and send some emails to shelters and rescues in your area and see if you can find one to take this one cat that is in desperate need to get off the street. We can arrange transportation if rescue is found for him in another part of the country. So far I've been looking for weeks for a place to take Goliath and most never even respond to my emails. Maybe others would be more lucky in their parts of the country.

If you PM me, I will try to help Goliath. Tell me a little about him as much as you know.

. I live near you and, yes, I have been to Chicago Animal Control many a time as I have transported cats on death's door to safety. Animal Control facilities are not shelters in my eyes, so to speak. They have soooooooo many hundreds of cats/dogs dumped off there, soooooooo many calls to come and take animals, they have to respond to animal nuisance calls, hoarding situations, etc. Of course, they do not have the facilities to house all of the abandoned/lost animals. Euthansia makes room for other's to come in. The surrounding shelters, rescue organizations, foster organizations all have contacts at Animal Control and get notifications via email when it is the cat's time, and then these rescues TRY to go down there and get those cats out. AHS (Animal House Shelter) has a HUGE foster network (all supported by AHS) and when the word gets out, people step up. I am not saying every animal is able to be saved from Animal Control, but the effort is made. The shelter I volunteer for has a huge free-roam cat room, and two other rooms filled with those Midwest cat enclosure cages, the tall ones. We also put cages in the hallways and office, wherever space allows so many cats can be rescued. There is another shelter in Grayslake, Sav-a-pet, similar set-up and I also can try to make a call to them. Animal House Shelter, Huntley and Sav-a-Pet, Grayslake are NO-KILL shelters. Plus, Robin, has offered to help you too.

People care, there is just not enough of us and there are too many cats that need us. Bless you for what you do for the cats

 

[feralvr]

Originally Posted by Ziggy'smom

Oh, I know there are great shelters that are truly no-kill and do a wonderful job with all their animals. I used to volunteer at a place like that in NW Illinois. They were really wonderful and I wish all shelters were like that. But until some drastic changes happens in our communities - more spay and neuter and responsible pet ownership - there is going to be shelters where controlling the animal population is their main goal rather than helping animals. There are just so many of them and too few of us who care enough to help.

Perfectly said, and that's the bottom line. If the whole world would just spay/neuter their cats/kittens we could start to end the suffering. BUT.... that is in a perfect World.

p.s. Sorry to the OP about getting off topic here, will respond to you on your new thread (thanks Carolina)

 

[nova35]

The best you can do right now is post an ad to try to find your kitty a home and keep calling shelters. I am currently having the same issue. I have 2 wonderful kitties that are older (8 and 10) that I can not keep, but have not been able to find a good place for them to go. So I have kept the strain on myself and keep them with me until I can find them a home. ALOT of places are not accepting surrenders as I was informed after speaking to about a dozen shelters and such that about 50 cats/day are surrendered and most are euthanized. Keep trying shelters, best of luck.

 

[GoldyCat]

The best you can do right now is post an ad to try to find your kitty a home and keep calling shelters. I am currently having the same issue. I have 2 wonderful kitties that are older (8 and 10) that I can not keep, but have not been able to find a good place for them to go. So I have kept the strain on myself and keep them with me until I can find them a home. ALOT of places are not accepting surrenders as I was informed after speaking to about a dozen shelters and such that about 50 cats/day are surrendered and most are euthanized. Keep trying shelters, best of luck.

Nova 35, welcome to TCS.
Sorry you're having such a hard time. I just wanted to point out that this thread is a year and a half old, so I'm sure the issue has been resolved by now.
If you're looking for help with your kitties it would be best to start your own thread. That way more people are likely to see it and offer suggestions.

 

[luvzmykatz]

Someone else suggested facebook.com you could also try putting her on craigslist.com with a small rehoming fee  to insure she goes to a home and not an animal flipper.  You could also require references and make sure folks know if she's get along with dogs or other cats.  Facebook and craigslist might now be the best options but they would help you get the word out that your baby is looking for a home.  You could also post flyers at the local stores and community center maybe?   Ask friends to put the word out there is also a program call senior animals for seniors your can find them on petfinder.com.   Have your listed your pet on petfinder.com   I think you can do that as wells.   Prayers your kitties finds a home.