To think rescue centres don't actually want you to adopt their pets?

[lurchersforever]

One of my cats had to be out to sleep suddenly in the summer and I would now like to adopt a young cat to keep us all company - me, ds and our remaining cat. I've only ever had rescue pets so looking at local centres. All have banners like please adopt/1000s of unwanted pets etc, but it is impossible to go and see any.

I have no issues with vetting and saying only certain types of households are suitable, but my issue is none of the centres are actually open. I've looked at about 6 near me and they are a mixture of not open to the public, don't answer the phone, say they're shut while Google says they're open, want you to fill in an application form and drop it off in person but you won't be able to even see a pet until your application has been assessed, don't reply to emails... The most success I've had is a centre that 'might' be able to arrange a video appointment to 'meet the cat' at some point and then I might be able to adopt 'when they open,' - no idea when that might be. This is for a specific cat they currently have - no sense of urgency to get her in a home. What on earth is the point of a video appointment with a cat?! What will it reveal that a picture doesn't? Just more time wasting.

I appreciate they are run by volunteers but this is ridiculous. Last time I adopted (10 years ago) you could go into local centres without an appointment and make the arrangements there and then. Obviously they weren't just handing them out to anyone but you could get the process moving.

At this rate I'll be on Gumtree, which I really don't want to be. What's going on?

It's really unnecessary isn't it? The rescue near me refused my friend because she lives on a road with a school on it. Yet when a cat got run over on the road outside the rescue centre, it strangely wasn't necessary for her to rehouse all her cats....

Very strange and sad. I used to foster cats for the time from rescue to them being rehomed and the charity I worked with always acted on expressions of interest very quickly. I would suggest you go further afield, but of course as they would want to do a home visit that wouldn't always be possible. Stick at it and good luck!

You are being judgemental to me! Do you see how you've used the word "presumably"? That's the issue! Pet rescues do not work on presumption, they work on what they actually see! Them having a house doesn't equate to having adequate finances! I had a mortgage at 18 but I still didn't have a pot to piss in and health conditions can make elderly dogs expensive especially as they are unlikely to get pet insurance. The pet rescue were not happy and didn't let them have so how can I be wrong?

It's difficult without knowing what was said but elderly dogs can need a lot of care - my brother for all he loved his old girl, he probably should have her put to sleep a few years before he did, her mobility dwindled, she'd end up with open sores from stumbling and dragging her paws, he had to carry her up and down his steep stairs to bed at night and god forbid if he'd fell because he lives alone. Every time he had to work out and about he had to have her dog sat which put a lot on others really for such an old and ailing dog.

She had a damaged back leg from being a street dog in Cyprus when she was young that just amplified her issues when she got old, he should really have had her leg amputated when she was younger. She ended up with a wheelchair from a dog charity.

There's a lot of reason for a rescue to be wary of a couple so young wanting a responsibility like that and whether they realise what a responsibility it can be, especially when incontinence kicks in as well.

I think they shoot themselves (and the animals) in the foot with the blanket "no kids under 10/12/whatever" rule without even meeting the family and seeing them interact with the animals. Not everyone raises their kids to treat animals as toys.

Big assumption there! I have no time for the RSPCA and support several small charities that are founder led

You've been very unfortunate. Try Protected Paws Rescue ( London based, tiny)..

We tried several shelters and we were turned down either because we had children (they were 10 and 7 at the time) or because we only wanted one and they said that we have to take two!!! There was no reasoning with them. So, we went to a breeder, which we wanted to try and avoid!

I just remembered, my friend's sister was turned down for cat adoption because she does shift work. She would have given the perfect home. Some of them have impossible standards and it does seem like they don't actually want to place the animals.

yes sorry I wasn't suggesting you did financially support the RSPCA etc. I was just pointing out that some famous, large UK animal charities are pretty wealthy whilst smaller charities are really struggling.

Again, not all charities have this mindset! The charity I foster for have rehomed to many people with toddlers before. If anyone lives in or near Hertfordshire can I suggest checking out Animal Support Angels on Facebook. Based in Hemel Hempstead.

I’m on my 3rd rescue dog. Have never had a problem rescuing. Find it surprising that so many people who are told they’re home or lifestyle isn’t suitable for pets think the answer is to go and buy one.

I have never known a cat to give two shits about being left alone. Yet one of my friends was turned down for adoption beicase she worked a 9-5.

Absolute madness, what cat needs constant attention. I don’t see mine between 9 and 5, she’s off out chasing things in the garden, sleeping on top of the shed or in the woods out the back.

There are volunteers in Oman always looking for people to rescue dogs and cats even to overseas homes. They will do all the legwork/paperwork/vaccines there and send them to the UK using volunteer funds. You can get gorgeous young healthy cats, usually neutered. You might be asked for a donation or to take 2 cats. If interested, please reply and I'll do some digging for you. I brought 3 Omani rescue cats and a rescue dog with me when I returned to UK in 2020. They were our pets when we lived there but adjusted well to UK life.

I'm not suggesting your dog isn't a lovely healthy dog but vets have been in the media asking people to stop doing it because many of the dogs coming over aren't.

They don’t want the animals adopting, as it stops thier money flow. I wanted a small dog .. I WFH, husband is retired, enclosed garden, on the edge of the countryside … we can’t even get a response, from the same places that a begging for money, and saying they are full.

Please, please Google the news articles from vets asking people to stop bringing rescues in from overseas because diseases are spreading that are being brought in! It's putting everybody's cats and dogs at risk! There's enough homeless animals here! Yes I get that it can be awkward getting approval from some rescues but if you bring in diseases, it leads to more dogs and cats being dumped at rescues because of the vet bills. Vaccines are not the same as screening each animal for diseases!

Another one here who can no longer adopt from rescues because I live on a 30mph B road. This, despite the fact I was vetted in my home 20 years ago by the CPL and cleared to adopt. The 2 kittens I got then lived to 15 and the other is still alive at 20! So the road is clearly not that much of a hazard. But when I looked into adopting again 4 years ago I was denied simply because of the road I live on. I went to Petsforhomes (online) and bought from a private seller. It wasn't my preferred option but several charities and rescues turned me down. I too look at all the ads saying 'please could you adopt a pet, we are inundated with pets needing homes' and feel a bit bitter.

Maybe ask why there are enough pets needing rehoming here but people are still bringing them in. The problem stems from the ridiculous criteria set for rehoming by the majority of charities.

Yes I've mentioned that in the comment! It doesn't mitigate that vets are seeing a surge in illnesses, parvovirus is rife! Also what if this willingness to ship rescues in to anyone that wants one without screening or questions being asked, leads to really unsuitable people getting pets.

The problem is there is an increased issue of cats being run over on 30mph roads, at my last address we lived on a little side road that should have been safe but it wasn't because driving standards have got worse and people think nothing of doing 40 to 60mph on a 30! I'm the space of a few years, our neighbours lost both their cats to trauma injuries, my car nearly died but luckily was seen by a neighbour and we got her to a marvellous vet that rebuilt her pelvis, I believe my male was probably clipped by a car year or two later. Sadly I know too well where the cat rescues are coming from.

I think the main issue is people looking to finance their pet hoarding, preferably while getting to be judgy about others, and the fact that a lot of the people going into animal rescue seem to be quite thick.

Strange that there are purpose built areas for them to live in and lots of these which were all empty. Maybe they are only used if no fosters available

I feel your pain as many rescues make it so difficult, but anyone in a similar position I beg them to persevere as you will always find a desperate animal to adopt if you keep looking.

on FB for example there are sites where people are giving up their pets with no control freak rescues involved. There are also sites on Gumtree, I rescued one poor dog this way.

i have 6 rescues now; I often adopt from rescues in Greece and Romania who are more pragmatic about rehoming than many uk rescues.

I don't think I'd take a cat from any animal rescue other than Battersea, so many people I know have ended up with an animal that was a) very elderly b) very sick resulting in a lot of expensive vets bills and vet food for very little pleasure. Many are not able to cope with children, other pets, going outdoors, normal cat food etc etc.

I've no idea how you'd get hold of a "normal" kitten now (with some chance of it fitting into your home and not bankrupting you) unless you knew somebody personally who needed to rehome their cat. Most cats are neutered now so people tend not to have unwanted kittens.