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Organizing Rescue Group
Hello to all,
I was excited to see this group and I hope to find wonderful information and ideas from all of you. I recently joined an animal rescue group specializing in Cats. I am currently fostering a mother and her 4 kittens. As the time for adoption comes nearer what are your suggestions for great advertising and getting people to adopt these wonderful animals. What have you done that really works? Thanks, Lauren Please check out and support www.safehavenhumanesociety.org |
Organizing Rescue Group
On 21 Sep 2006 08:05:44 -0700, "Lauren"
wrote: Hello to all, I was excited to see this group and I hope to find wonderful information and ideas from all of you. I recently joined an animal rescue group specializing in Cats. I am currently fostering a mother and her 4 kittens. As the time for adoption comes nearer what are your suggestions for great advertising and getting people to adopt these wonderful animals. What have you done that really works? Thanks, Lauren Please check out and support www.safehavenhumanesociety.org What works is petfinders.com Go to this site and click on Adoption List and you'll get an example of what I'm talking about. http://www.pawsworld.com/fvhs/ |
Organizing Rescue Group
"Lauren" wrote in message ups.com... Hello to all, I was excited to see this group and I hope to find wonderful information and ideas from all of you. I recently joined an animal rescue group specializing in Cats. I am currently fostering a mother and her 4 kittens. As the time for adoption comes nearer what are your suggestions for great advertising and getting people to adopt these wonderful animals. What have you done that really works? Thanks, Lauren Please check out and support www.safehavenhumanesociety.org How does the rescue group usually find homes for their charges? I would expect if they have a shelter that they would have days when they are open to the public for adoptions. If there isn't a shelter and all the cats are in foster care then they could check with local pet stores like PetSmart and Pet Co. to see if they can bring fosters in on the weekend to show to potential adopters. As was already stated, Petfinder is a good place to list cats available for adoption as is pets911. http://www.petfinder.com/register/index.html http://www.pets911.com/ui/index.php http://www.1-800-save-a-pet.com/cgi-...elter_add_form |
Organizing Rescue Group
Thank you both for your pointers. Currently the rescue is not part of
Petfinder.com but I am trying to change that. I will research the other links provided. The rescue is a virtual shelter with out a permenant location but I will check to see when their adoption days are. Thanks again! |
Organizing Rescue Group
Thank you both for your pointers. Currently the rescue is not part of
Petfinder.com but I am trying to change that. I will research the other links provided. The rescue is a virtual shelter with out a permenant location but I will check to see when their adoption days are. Thanks again! |
Organizing Rescue Group
Hi Lauren,
Our group doesn't have a shelter either so we rely on advertising and word of mouth to get our little charges adopted into good homes. The local newspaper in our area has given us cut rate display ads in which we advertise several animals each week. Even single ads work. I also get photos and put them into an email and send them around - put a note on asking that the email be forwarded. We recently set up our own web site and have been amazed at the response. The tricky part of adoption is finding good homes. You have to ask the right questions and screen people carefully. Before people come to your home you might tell them up front that you don't adopt out on the first visit. This will allow you to get them out of your house if they turn out to be people your don't want to adopt to. I've had some bad experiences so protect yourself and the kittens. I'm really forward when it comes to interviewing potential adopters. Watch out for really young people - late teens early 20's. Their lives aren't settled and often they will give up their pets when they need to move on somewhere. Renters in general are dubious. Sadly, seniors aren't a good bet either because they aren't likely to provide a good home for the life of the pet. Ask, casually, if they have had many pets before. If they say they have lost a cat to illness after 15 years then that's a good sign. When they go on in detail about cats they have disposed of or that have "run away" then you know to be cautious. Watch out for parents with kids under 6 years old, especially if they want a young kitten. Have them bring the kids with them to see the kittens and watch to see if the parents make the kids treat the kittens gently. If not, it's a good bet they won't do so at home either. So many people want toys for their kids. Little kittens are so delicate. They can get worn out or badly injured by over enthusiastic children. I always tell our foster parents to use their instincts. If you get a bad feeling, it's best to pay attention to it. Some people get offended that they need to answer these questions but we do it to ensure that these creatures get permanent, loving homes after having such a rough start in life. Most people understand, if they don't then they probably wouldn't be very good owners anyway. Good luck - it's a tough gig you have volunteered for but when you match up a cat or kitten with a great home, then there is nothing like that feeling of accomplishment. All the best, Barbara "Lauren" wrote in message ups.com... Hello to all, I was excited to see this group and I hope to find wonderful information and ideas from all of you. I recently joined an animal rescue group specializing in Cats. I am currently fostering a mother and her 4 kittens. As the time for adoption comes nearer what are your suggestions for great advertising and getting people to adopt these wonderful animals. What have you done that really works? Thanks, Lauren Please check out and support www.safehavenhumanesociety.org |
Organizing Rescue Group
ezyspirit wrote: Renters in general are dubious. Whoa! I'd say it depends on the renter- we have rented our flat for 21 years. People who are buying homes can lose them as well you know! Sadly, seniors aren't a good bet either because they aren't likely to provide a good home for the life of the pet. Doesn't that depend? Me and Dave have decided that perhaps when we get too old to consider a kitten we would offer an elderly cat a home even one with medical problems, (Before we got the Furballs we were considering rehoming FIV cats and would like to some day but these kittens were about to be dumped to a pet shop and needed a home fast!) Ask, casually, if they have had many pets before. If they say they have lost a cat to illness after 15 years then that's a good sign. As "renters" at our current address we have had one cat PTS due to cancer and another cross the bridge peacefully in her sleep aged 16 and a quarter- under your rules does this make us bad because we are renters or good because our cats have never lacked for anything- we lost our jobs in 93 and we went hungry to make sure the bowls were full and we have always made sure there was somehow enough pennies for vet bills Lesley Slave of the Fabulous Furballs |
Organizing Rescue Group
Thank you all for your input, they will come in very handy as 3 of my
fosters will be featured in a local paper. I hadn't really considered people coming to my house..I guess I will have to figure out how I am going to handle all of that. I agree with not adopting on the first visit as that would show commitment to come back. I am sure that the issue of renters would have to be a case by case basis. As I have known a few home owners who were more careless than some renters I know. In any case I do want my guys to go to wonderful homes that will appreciate how sweet and unique they really are. Wish me luck and I will let you know how that paper advertisement goes, it should go to press this coming Thursday. www.safehavenhumanesociety.org |
Organizing Rescue Group
It doesn't matter what you say - it's always going to ruffle someone's
feathers.... =) Please read on..... "Lesley" wrote in message ups.com... ezyspirit wrote: Renters in general are dubious. Whoa! I'd say it depends on the renter- we have rented our flat for 21 years. People who are buying homes can lose them as well you know! Notice that I said, "in general" but after 14 years in rescue, I can say that renters are definitely a problem. Most of our feral cat colonies occur near rental apartment/condo complexes where people just leave their cat behind when they move. Sadly, seniors aren't a good bet either because they aren't likely to provide a good home for the life of the pet. Doesn't that depend? Me and Dave have decided that perhaps when we get too old to consider a kitten we would offer an elderly cat a home even one with medical problems, (Before we got the Furballs we were considering rehoming FIV cats and would like to some day but these kittens were about to be dumped to a pet shop and needed a home fast!) It is simple math. When a 65 year old person takes on a kitten, what is the likelyhood of that cat remaining with that person for it's 20 years of life? We get calls all the time from seniors who need to go into care and want to find new homes for senior cats. It's nearly impossible to find homes for animals over 8 years old. When an older person is looking for a new pet we try to match them up with older cats but they don't want them. I guess it's human nature to think we are going to live forever but it is selfish and I have seen animals who suffer the consequences. Ask, casually, if they have had many pets before. If they say they have lost a cat to illness after 15 years then that's a good sign. As "renters" at our current address we have had one cat PTS due to cancer and another cross the bridge peacefully in her sleep aged 16 and a quarter- under your rules does this make us bad because we are renters or good because our cats have never lacked for anything- we lost our jobs in 93 and we went hungry to make sure the bowls were full and we have always made sure there was somehow enough pennies for vet bills You sound like a wonderful pet owner, Lesley, but, sadly, not all are like you. When you agree to take on the task of finding good homes for kittens, you must do what is in the animal's best interest. That includes screening out those who probably can't provide a PERMANENT home, for whatever reason. However, each situation must be examined and a determination made based on all the circumstances. So, sometimes a renter will be accepted or a senior who has made arrangements for the animal with a family member if they can't continue caring for it but caution is required. Lesley Slave of the Fabulous Furballs |
Organizing Rescue Group
Renters should also be asked about what the landlord's policy toward pets
is - do they allow, number allowed, pet deposit required/paid. Ask for a statement from the landlord regarding their pet policy. "ezyspirit" wrote in message news:8GlUg.84348$1T2.76695@pd7urf2no... It doesn't matter what you say - it's always going to ruffle someone's feathers.... =) Please read on..... "Lesley" wrote in message ups.com... ezyspirit wrote: Renters in general are dubious. Whoa! I'd say it depends on the renter- we have rented our flat for 21 years. People who are buying homes can lose them as well you know! Notice that I said, "in general" but after 14 years in rescue, I can say that renters are definitely a problem. Most of our feral cat colonies occur near rental apartment/condo complexes where people just leave their cat behind when they move. Sadly, seniors aren't a good bet either because they aren't likely to provide a good home for the life of the pet. Doesn't that depend? Me and Dave have decided that perhaps when we get too old to consider a kitten we would offer an elderly cat a home even one with medical problems, (Before we got the Furballs we were considering rehoming FIV cats and would like to some day but these kittens were about to be dumped to a pet shop and needed a home fast!) It is simple math. When a 65 year old person takes on a kitten, what is the likelyhood of that cat remaining with that person for it's 20 years of life? We get calls all the time from seniors who need to go into care and want to find new homes for senior cats. It's nearly impossible to find homes for animals over 8 years old. When an older person is looking for a new pet we try to match them up with older cats but they don't want them. I guess it's human nature to think we are going to live forever but it is selfish and I have seen animals who suffer the consequences. Ask, casually, if they have had many pets before. If they say they have lost a cat to illness after 15 years then that's a good sign. As "renters" at our current address we have had one cat PTS due to cancer and another cross the bridge peacefully in her sleep aged 16 and a quarter- under your rules does this make us bad because we are renters or good because our cats have never lacked for anything- we lost our jobs in 93 and we went hungry to make sure the bowls were full and we have always made sure there was somehow enough pennies for vet bills You sound like a wonderful pet owner, Lesley, but, sadly, not all are like you. When you agree to take on the task of finding good homes for kittens, you must do what is in the animal's best interest. That includes screening out those who probably can't provide a PERMANENT home, for whatever reason. However, each situation must be examined and a determination made based on all the circumstances. So, sometimes a renter will be accepted or a senior who has made arrangements for the animal with a family member if they can't continue caring for it but caution is required. Lesley Slave of the Fabulous Furballs |
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