Surrender and Rescue Information & Resources
The Pat Brody Shelter receives an overwhelming number of calls and emails each day from people asking us to take in cats. As a limited door shelter, we only have so much space, so unfortunately, we are unable to help everyone. We try to focus on helping the stray/abandoned cats & kittens that have no place to go, rather than the household pet surrenders.
The three most common reasons we hear that people want to surrender their cats are because they are moving, someone in the family has allergies, or the cat has a behavioral problem.
IF YOU ARE MOVING
Please do not abandon your cat because you are moving. Please plan ahead and start looking early so that you can take your cat with you to your new apartment. There are many landlords that will allow cats.
If you need temporary housing for your pet check the most updated resources with the MSPCA.
WHEN FURRY FAMILY MEMBERS GET LEFT BEHIND AND HOW YOU CAN HELP THEM
For families who may be at risk of losing their home, a foreclosure will typically come with a variety of stressful changes. Jobs, schools, friends and the familiarities of your home and neighborhood will often get left behind. And its not just the human members of the family that feel the brunt of the changes. Here is a complete guide on how to handle pets during foreclosure situations.
IF SOMEONE IN THE FAMILY HAS ALLERGIES
Being allergic doesn’t mean that you can’t have a pet or that you must give up one you already have. Even if your doctor finds that you have an allergy, don’t give up your pet so quickly! Please visit the following web site, which has some great information about allergies and what you can do so that you are able to keep your cat: http://www.allerpet.com/
IF YOUR CAT HAS A BEHAVIORAL PROBLEM
The shelter is unable to take in cats that have behavior problems that make them unadoptable. Read through the behavior section of our website for some tips relating to common behavior problems to see if you can solve the problem on your own. If you still need advice, please email us at pbs@catsontheweb.org with detailed information about the situation and we will forward your message to our cat behavior specialist to see if she can respond to you with additional advice.
SOME NOTES ABOUT SENIOR CATS
A cat is usually classified as a “senior” when they are 8 years or older. It is best to avoid taking a cat this age to any shelter, as they have usually lived in the same home for many years, and the stress of a shelter is more than they can handle. Even though we feel we are a good shelter, many cats this age will lose the will to live in spite of the love of the 70+ volunteers here. Many times, they will refuse to eat and develop liver disease or other serious problems. In addition, senior cats are very difficult to adopt out since most people are looking to adopt kittens or cats that are around 1-2 years old. If you have a senior cat that you absolutely cannot keep, the best thing you can do is try to place him/her directly into a new home.
TIPS FOR PLACING YOUR CAT IN A NEW HOME
A good way to start is to ask everybody (friends, family members, co-workers, neighbors, EVERYBODY) you know if they are willing to give your cat a home. If you have no luck this way, the next thing you should do is make up a flyer with a nice, close-up picture of your cat and details about the cat’s personality and the type of home he/she would do best in. Highlight your kitty’s best qualities. Post this flyer up at all the vet’s offices in your area. The best pet owners can be found there and many people will see your flyers. You might also try posting the flyer at your work, gym, or church bulletin board.
Another resource for placing your cat is www.petfinder.com. Click on classified ads and you can post an ad for your cat. If someone responds, it’s always a good idea to ask for a vet reference and a small adoption fee.
OTHER NO-KILL SHELTERS IN MA
Here is a list of other no-kill shelters in MA that you could try. Be sure to confirm with the shelter that they are no-kill before sending your cat there.
FERAL CAT RESCUE GROUPS & INFO
The shelter is unable to take in feral cats. Here is a list of feral cat rescue groups in MA. For more information on feral cats in general, you can visit www.alleycat.org or www.neighborhoodcats.org.
FIV/FeLV+ CATS
The shelter does not take in FIV+ or FeLV+ cats. If you have an FIV+ or FeLV+ cat to place, you can try to do so through www.petfinder.com classified ads.
For more info on FIV, please visit our links page.
SPAY/NEUTER PROGRAMS
Visit the MSPCA’s web site for information on affordable spay and neuter programs.
Visit the PetSmart Charities web site