CAT Adoption & Foster Policies (2006), prepared by Dr. Marti Hopson
In January 2003, the CAT Board of Directors passed a motion stating that no CAT funds will be used for adoptions for the time being and that the issue of spending funds on adoptions will be revisited in 6 months (in July 2003). Reasons for the decision included:
~ Consistent guidelines for CAT’s pre-adoption care and post-adoption obligations have yet to be completely developed.
~ CAT’s financial resources are limited, and at this time, are best directed toward continued success and expansion of the TNR program.
~ The PEI Humane Society already operates a cat adoption program. They have designated facilities and more resources than CAT.
~ Costs associated with an adoption program could include long-term foster care and are therefore less fixed than costs of the TNR program.
The consequences of this temporary prohibition on spending for adoptions include:
~ CAT caregivers, volunteers or members are encouraged to take in stray or colony cats or kittens and find them permanent homes. However, all costs associated with this will be the responsibility of either the foster caregiver or the adopter.
~ CAT’s TNR program, including fast-tracks, can not be used to provide pre-adoption care. Therefore, two conditions must be met for all cats going through the TNR program:
1. The intention or plan to adopt the cat into a permanent home must not exist at the time the cat goes through the program.
2. The cat must be released back to its colony after going through the program.
* If there are any unforeseen exceptions to these 2 requirements, these should be brought to
the attention of the executive.
~Individuals who make a monetary donation to CAT and request that it be spent on cats that are going to be adopted into a home should be informed that their donation cannot be used for this purpose.
The placement of adoptable stray or feral cats into permanent homes remains an important part of CAT’s mandate. Therefore, CAT will support efforts to adopt cats into homes in the following ways:
~ Notices of cats needing homes can be displayed and/or announced at CAT meetings or other events. (Adoption posters, however, should not have CAT’s name or logo on them.)
~ CAT members, volunteers and caregivers can provide an informal “information network” of cats needing homes and people looking for a cat to adopt.
** Please note: Sometimes, a cat that has gone through the TNR program is lucky enough to find a permanent home sometime later. Such a situation is acceptable, and for the sake of the cats, encouraged. The above-described policy does not prohibit such a situation.