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Lauren September 21st 06 04:05 PM

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


John Ross Mc Master September 23rd 06 11:29 PM

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/

Wendy September 24th 06 01:16 PM

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



Lauren September 25th 06 08:50 PM

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!


Lauren September 25th 06 08:51 PM

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!


ezyspirit October 1st 06 02:29 AM

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




Lesley October 1st 06 11:22 PM

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


Lauren October 2nd 06 03:09 AM

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


ezyspirit October 3rd 06 05:28 AM

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




Wendy October 10th 06 12:13 AM

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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