Rescuing Cats from the Euthanasia List: A How-to Guide

Rescuing Cats From the

Euthanasia List – A How To

Guide

Dr Frances Flower22 Feb 2014

frances.flower@austinpetsalive.org

APA! Cat Rescue:Then & Now

• Where we started

• Current state of play

• Cat stats

Two evaluators going to the shelter covering 7 days a week

~20-30 cats/kittens each night on the list

Limited ability to work on cats on the list (only a small number)

To rely entirely on foster group ~20

In late 2008 we had…

No-kill shelter 4 evaluators covering the

week 5-20 cats/kittens on the

list (still given deadlines) Ability to work on every

cat on the list Large foster base (~145)

and cattery space at multiple locations

Additional programs for special cats (FeLv Ward, Ringworm Ward, feral enclosure)

….in 2014 we have:

Series10

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

# cats saved

YEAR

2008

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

40

1948

2848

1399

1528

779

APA! Cat Rescue:Getting Started

• Organization

• Liaising with shelter

• Internal communication

Current APA! Organization

Shelter Rescue

Foster

Bottle Baby

Barn Placement

Cattery

FeLV+ Ward

Ringworm Ward

New Organization

Shelter Rescue

Foster

Bottle Baby

Barn Placement

Cattery

FeLV+ Ward

Ringworm Ward

Set up Communication with Shelter Establish access to the shelter’s euthanasia list Understand how that list works Develop your program’s process Set up liaison person Provide shelter with up to 3 approved people to

confirm on cats

Set Up Your Program Communication

Determine a Rescue Lead and who they will liaise with

Create email rescue alias Emergency phone list Set ground rules for rescue Develop format for reporting evaluations Google calendar for rescue

APA! Cat Rescue:Working the List

• Typical cats on list

• Evaluating cats

• Useful tools

• Reporting

• Choosing cats for your program

Types of cats on the list: behaviour

Litter-box issues Aggression Rough players Quick to arouse Older cats (7+) Hard to handle Terrified cats Withdrawn cats Protective nursing

mums Unsocialised kittens

Types of cats on the list: medical

Injuries Chronic medical

issue Ringworm Felv+ FIV+ URI

Other Factors that Influence the List

Kitten season Hoarding cases Disease outbreak Holidays Natural disaster

Evaluating cats - OUTLINE

Collect euthanasia list from shelter Determine order of evaluations Review notes by shelter/owner/previous

evaluations Observe cat in kennel before opening Assess behaviour & personality Assess cat condition Submit cat ‘holds’ to shelter

Evaluating cats - BEHAVIOUR

bold / confident / withdrawn / shy / scared / aggressive / relaxed / affectionate / indifferent

On approach does he..

Get up to greet?

Stay in place?

Tries to escape or hide?

Adjust body position?

Response to Touch

Lets you touch?

Touch head only?

Touch all over?

Any sensitive areas?

Vocalise Chatty? Growling? Yowling? Crying?

Handling Can you pick up easily?

Struggling on pick up?

Not comfortable picking up?

Signs of stress/threat

Lip licking? Hissing? Swatting? Lunging? Attempt to bite?

Positive behaviours

Purring? Elevator butt?

Making biscuits?

Slow blinking?

Cheek/chin rubbing?

Evaluating cats - MEDICAL

Ears, eyes, nose

Any discharge?

Sneezing? Itchy ears? Hot ears?

Dry nose?

Body condition

Emaciated? Skinny? Normal? Heavy set?

Obese?

Coat Dull and dry or flaky?

Any hairloss? Glossy? Matted?

Appetite Eating food? Food preference?

Social eater?

Litterbox use

Using litterbox?

BM’s normal? Diarrhoea?

Drinking Excessive drinking?

Pain behaviour?

Coat fluffed up? Reluctant to move?

Tail tucked, shoulders hunched and all four feet tucked under?

Lying prostate? Unresponsive?

Evaluator’s Toolkit

Camera (no flash) Notebook Smartphone Straw toys Feliway Woollen gloves Wet food

Remember while you are there….

Chance to help potential adopters see cats at the shelter

Opportunity to start socialising kittens

Evaluating cats – WRAP UP

Make notes on your observations Take photos Report any concerns to staff Return to staff desk and put a ‘hold’

on the cats you can help Name ‘no name’ cats if allowed Ask for a kennel count if possible

From home, write report and submit to your rescue alias

Reporting Evaluations

• Assess suitability for your program

Reporting Evaluations

• Call out impt info

Reporting Evaluations

• Use photos for initial marketing• Use evals/abbreviated version for pleaing to

foster

Choosing Cats for Your Program

Questions to ask yourself: What space do I have available? Is my current cat population varied enough?

Do I have a good mix of age, colour, coat length, breed or am I heavy loaded with a particular group of cats?

How many adoptions will we have this week? This month?

Are we expecting a large influx of cats at the shelter in the next month?

Choosing Cats for Your ProgramBreak down the list Determine which cats you think could bring into your

program

Of those cats, number them in terms of order of saving. You are looking for FAST adoptions. Consider your priorities as: Kittens over adults Litters or pairs over individuals (= more lives saved) Highly desirable features/traits (Siamese, Persian, Maine

Coon, declawed, polydactyl, manx, three-legged, one-eyed) Healthy over sick

Of the cats you decide not to bring into your program: plea for adopters on CL

Working Example

VIOLET, 1yr & 6 nursing kittens

WALTER & WILLY, 5yr, shy

KENZIE, 5yr, Siamese, vomiting

ANTHONY, 4yr, FIV+

Working Example

VIOLET, 1yr & 6 nursing kittens

WALTER & WILLY, 5yr, shy

KENZIE, 5yr, Siamese, vomiting

ANTHONY, 4yr, FIV+

1

23

4

Never an easy job but you want to make smart choices:

- know your program ‘cat inventory’

- know your limiting resources

- pick cats for FAST adoptions

- FAST adoptions = more lives saved!!

APA! Cat Rescue:Other Ways Out

• Lost cats

• Original owners

• Other rescue partners

• Requesting re-evaluation

• Craigslist

Think outside the box….

Stray cats- Is there signs of having a collar?- Is their coat in good condition?- Are they declawed?

If yes, - Check on craigslist lost &found- Check to see which area they were found at and post a CL with

that neighborhood in subject line- If you are part of that neighborhood, send an email to the

listserv/neighborhood watch group

Think outside the box….

Owner surrendered cats

- Try to contact owner (by phone) and tell them the cat is at risk. See if they are able to reclaim or have a friend/family member that might be willing to adopt

- Sometimes owners cannot afford treatment or are having financial difficulties – are there any assistance programs that can help keep that cat with its owner?

- If owner is not willing to reclaim, see if you can gain more insight how that cat was in the home.

Post on Craigslist for Potential Adopters• Needs to grab attention • Make sure cat has a NAME!• List key, unique features • e.g. DECLAW, MANX, SNOWWHITE, SIAMESE• Give important information – the cat’s ID, any deadline

and where the cat is

• If this is a cat that your Program may bring in, posting on CL is also a good place to recruit a new foster. List that option in the CL.

Other Tips• If a cat has improved over time at the shelter, ask for a

re-evaluation by their team

• See if another rescue partner might be interested in helping a particular cat e.g. Siamese Rescue

• Good photos are really helpful for attracting potential adopters and for foster pleas

• Youtube clips are even better! You can often use them for marketing the cat later too!

APA! Cat Rescue:Keeping Recruits

• Who to recruit

• What wasn’t successful

• What works well

• Training strategy

Who to Recruit

E.g. volunteer recruitment slideIf you’re good at details and observations, love cats and can commitment to 3 hours - one day a week please consider joining our team and be the voice for the cats!

We offer in-depth training for anyone interested in joining our small team

Why join us? You like a challenge You want to have a direct impact on

lives saved You want to meet all kinds of cats

This is a very wonderful and rewarding experience. Please consider joining our team.

Cat experience preferred Detail orientated Able to think outside the box Responsive to email Looking for 3 hour

commitment one day a week

What didn’t work!

Problems we ran into: Overwhelmed Panicked by deadlines Emotionally stressed

Jumping in and helping do the list immediately – the learn-as-you-go approach

- Offer to foster every cat- Frantic phone

calls/emails- Hostility/anger- Breakdown- Walking away

HIGH VOLUNTEER TURNOVER

What didn’t work!

Remember – this can be a stressful and lonely volunteer position.

Evaluators get connected with cats they are assessing.

They may feel like no-one else understands and that they are the cats only chance to survive.

Jumping in and helping do the list immediately – the learn-as-you-go approach

HIGH VOLUNTEER TURNOVER

What works!

Step-by-step training is worth the investment Info presented in small pieces Time to digest process Less pressure Multiple opportunities to reinforce protocols

the step-by-step approachLOW VOLUNTEER TURNOVER

APA!’s Training Strategythe step-by-step approach

Intro and tour of shelter How to do evaluations How to understand the reports Shadowing Leading Quarterl

y team meeting

s

LOW VOLUNTEER TURNOVER

Questions?

frances.flower@austinpetsalive.org