AIBU about “adopt don’t shop”?

[totallybonafido]

Yes I know it’s better to adopt rather than to buy a kitten from some random person online - but rescue places make it so difficult! I’m trying to get a new friend for my cat and I’m not getting anywhere.

I've contacted all local rescues, big and small, who claim to be inundated with cats and kittens, and been told:
• they only re home kittens in pairs
• you can’t adopt if you’re out at work during the day
• you can’t adopt if you don’t have a cat flap
• if uk you adopt, you have to agree that the cat will be indoor only
• we won’t give give you a cat if you have children
• we don’t have any single kittens at the moment

These are just the ones that have responded, many don’t.

If they really are inundated and struggling to rehome cats, you’d think they’d be a bit less picky? I got my current cat from a random lady online whose 2 cats had litters at the same time, so she had about 10 kittens at once. I’ve just seen on pets4homes that she has another 12 kittens to re home now, it’s beyond irresponsible and she has no idea who she’s giving them to. I want to do the responsible thing here, but I probably am going to end up buying a kitten off some random again as the alternative has too many obstacles.

😭😭 when i tried to adopt, they wanted a video of my house, telling me there's a waiting list, all sorts 🙄🙄 - plus there was an adoption fee

I paid £100, got a lovely kitten for dd, from a reputable seller, who completes our family

Just buy a kitten, and treat them well. Maybe make a donation to a cat charity to appease the judgy bellends you have to deal with

I know people having the same problem when trying to rehome dogs. It’s why my friend went and got a rescue from abroad. Her husband works full time but she works part-time so is missing for just 3 hours a day. He also had an 8 year old child. No UK rescue would let her have a dog.

A local charity is always advertising rabbits that have been with them for 2-3 years. I understand that rabbits have requirements and shouldn’t be cooped up in hutches, but they are going to struggle to find people who have a permanent run of 10ft x 6ft that’s accessible 24 hours a day. It’s no wonder people go to pet shops or buy privately.

I’m inclined to agree OP.

I know rescue centres want to make sure these animals are going to the best possible homes, but some of the conditions are hindering so many people from adopting.

It was about 8 years ago, and we looked into adopting.
We lived in a detached house in a rural area, with a large, enclosed garden, 5’mins from an enormous nature reserve. I didn’t work at that point in time, so would be home the majority of the time.
We got rejected from 3 different rescue centres because we have children.

I had a lovely rescue dog and when he died I found it almost impossible to rescue another dog. I work from home, have a secure garden, no young children, no cats, and it was still a ridiculous process. I eventually bought a beautiful puppy from a very responsible breeder.

completely ridiculous I agree

Would you consider an older cat rather than a kitten? There is much higher demand for kittens and they tend to get adopted very quickly. I adopted a 6 year old cat from Cats Protection and didn't encounter any of the obstacles you mention. I work, have kids, don't have a cat flap... None of these things were an issue.

I think rescues fall into 2 categories; 1)normal people who just want animals to find a good home and 2) bat shit crazy people hoarding animals under the guise of a rescue.

I had a coworker who was involved very heavily in a breed specific rescue that was in the first category. They did home visits but he said they were just looking for red flags and lies on the application (example people said they had fenced yard and the home visits found no fence) they placed a lot of dogs.

He then told me one day that he stopped volunteering as they had a woman join that fell into the first category she brought in more volunteers like her and the rescue just split down the middle because they couldn’t agree on how they were going to operate.

But yes I’ve seen some ridiculous rescues and I’ve seen the sane ones.

In my area we have the Humane society and different areas have what is called the pound (or used to be I’m sure most have different names now). Both places you can walk in, fill out an application, talk to someone for a couple of minutes, have your name checked to see if you’ve ever surrendered an animal or are banned from owning an animal, pay the adoption fee, and walk out with your new pet.

Much easier than the rescues and where all my cats, kittens, and puppies have come from.

This is why the Pissfingers meme exists.

"Dog shelters: don't buy puppies, consider adoption instead...

Also dog shelters: this is "Pissfingers" she's 19 years old and can't live in a home with children, books or electricity. Pissfingers is nervous around hair and needs 400 acres of land and an orchard of extinct fruits."

when i tried to adopt, they wanted a video of my house

Some rescues do have ridiculously rigid criteria, I agree. But I don't think it's unreasonable for them to want to see the house where the animal will be living to be honest.

Yeah I do agree. It almost feels like they don't want to re-home their animals. Criteria that is basically impossible to meet.

We rehomed our retired greyhound from a breed specific charity and they were pretty reasonable but so many other places wouldn't rehome to us because I work from home and apparently that means I might get called into the office. Possibly I suppose but how can anyone ever rescue if it's all maybes?!

Our local cat rescue the only requirement is indoor cat only. RSPCA only if you have an empty spare room and two weeks off work.

DD tried to adopt.

The first shelter she approached had details of a cat online that she expressed an interest in. They said she needed a home visit. Fine, home visit arranged. In the meantime the cat she had registered an interest in was let go to someone else and they then said no more suitable ones were available.

The others wouldn't offer any cats if they had to be house cats. She lives in a second floor flat so that was non negotiable.

Eventually the vet told her about a family whose cat had an unexpected litter (un-neutered house cat who had accidentally got out and been on the razzle.) She visited them at home, chose her cat and went back to collect him at 12 weeks. They charged only £60 and he had been wormed and injected and was fully house trained. He is a year old now and an absolute beauty.

My feelings about this are different. I feel that there are far too many domestic pets; that the reason there are so many cats and dogs in shelters is because too many people get them as entertainment for themselves and their children without thinking through whether they can provide the right environment for them and that shelters are right to aim for ‘perfect’ not ‘it’ll do, better than being put down’.

I follow a few rescues and some seem to make genuine efforts to rehome. Others say they are full, beg or donations but don't have any animals up for adoption.

I struggle to believe that an animal's life in a typical rescue is better that in what is deemed to be a slightly suboptimal home.

And we also seem to import rescue animals from other countries - that's madness.

We contacted a cat rescue that wanted a video of the house showing the security measures that we would put it place to stop the cat getting into our garden. They wanted evidence that we had compared several pet insurance companies and details of our financial capability to pay for it.
When they turned us down, they had the effrontery to beg for donations to help them carry on their pet hoarding rescue.

Battersea happily rehomed a pair of kittens with us, possibly because we wanted 2 moggies rather than anyone decorative.

In my area (US) almost all of our dogs come from different states to be adopted. We don’t have enough of our own to meet demand (and I love that!). My dog came from 5 states away.

Our Humane society also has a ‘’working cat’ adoption scheme… it’s for cats who have shown they don’t want a lot of human contact. They adopt them out as barn cats or warehouse/work shop cats. From what I’ve read and heard it’s a very successful program.

I know they have to rehome carefully but they are becoming ridiculous.
I've had cats for the last 40 years all rescues, incontinent, sick, feral whatever. I have a certificate from cats protection to say I can have a cat without a home check.
Anyway I was catless after my beautiful and extremely semi feral 21 year old cat died biting the vet on her way out lol.
CP had no cats at that time so I contacted another shelter to say I'd have a problem or sick cat and sent my credentials.

They said we'll contact you when we feel like it basically not in so .any words. I waited .months. eventually I took on a friends incontinent hyperthyroid 12 year old cat and got both proble.s sorted.
Got a phone call 6 bloody months later to say we've got two ferals for you, which they'd had ever since I first contacted them. I said why didn't you just say you have cats for me right away, I can't have them now I've adopted a cat.
They said it was their policy to make potential adopters wait to make sure they are serious!!! Then asked if I could take the. Anyway because they can't find an adopter for them, well no sorry I have a cat now.
What a bloody stupid policy, they had someone who was prepared to take a diabetic or problem cat and they missed the opportunity.
Sorry for the Epic of Gilgamesh but I was so bloody mad.

I bought my cat because not a single local rescue would allow an indoor only home. If the rescues in your area have that as a requirement you're very lucky, it's extremely uncommon in the UK still.

They're right to not rehome single kittens, btw. Plenty of very good reasons for that too.

I've done both, got 2 cats from a rescue and bought one from a breeder. Out of 9 rats, 8 have come from breeders as babies too.

I will only ever go to a reputable breeder who does all of the health checks, doesn't breed to excess and either breeds to improve the breed or to produce well bred family pets.

If I get a rescue it's from an actual rescue or a friend who needs a home for her cat!

Neither are perfect though because both don't allow autonomy, you have to stick to their rules or you aren't allowed an animal..

A rescue won't let you keep a cat inside even if you lived next to a motorway and had a huge garden you could cat proof and many object to kids even if they've grown up with cats.

A breeder won't let you have a cat that goes outside and one even turned me down because I was planning on having children in the future They are usually ok about kids though.

I want to be able to make the right choices for my own cats because it's not one size fits all. If I lived next to a motorway I wouldn't be letting my cat roam but if I had acres of land it wouldn't be an issue. Some cats might be allowed out but turn into an indoor cat by choice and your indoor cat might be miserable and escape at every single opportunity so you may as well admit defeat (unless you live on a motorway in which case I would actually re-home/return to breeder for it's own safety)

Most kittens will be fine with children if supervised properly, I understand adult cats needing to go to a quiet home though.

I wouldn't go to a backyard breeder because I want someone who cares for their cats and takes the time to microchip/vaccinate/health test/socialise and not just churn animals out for money but I do understand why people do because of the rules rescues and breeders put in place.

Where I foster for local rescue (not charity) advertise for all sorts of cats…some ok with children, some need a quiet home, some can go with dogs etc, some need outdoor space, some indoor only (usually based on life before rescue and how they have been in foster and they assess the sort of home they need) they do ask for a video of your house def not unreasonable and then an adoption fee which covers microchip and neutering again not unreasonable costs.

a lot of little kittens they adopt in pairs, or singles to people who have existing cats. 3 of mine so far could have been adopted as a single, they were all young still 1-3 years. If you’re near South Yorkshire I have a lovely pair of kittens who are desperate for a home!

I do want a kitten rather than an older cat. My existing cat is 7 months old and I don’t think he’d like someone bigger coming in and bossing him around. We did get a pair originally but have just lost one to a RTA last week, I’m heartbroken 😢

Ahh, sadly not, Berkshire!

Yep, it’s completely ridiculous. Just buy a kitten from a breeder. We bought a puppy a few years ago. The breeder wanted information about the ages of our children and if we had a garden, but pretty straightforward compared to what I’ve heard rescues asking.

Yeah I adopted a couple of times and then my most recent cats I bought.

the home requirements are insane.

Yup, I have to agree with you. We fostered a cat this year, it went to live with a relative after as an adoption and the process was so painful! Years ago we rescued a dog, and eventually a rescue told us to just buy a puppy as we lived in a flat that had restrictions on dog breeds, and apparently all rescues need giant outdoor spaces to live and work through their issues. We ended up finding a 4 month old puppy to rescue by random chance, and it all worked out, but we nearly bought at their advice! My mind was blown. Btw we still don't have an outdoor space at our house, and somehow he lives a great life.