# I appreciate your advice on unfair denial for cat adoption



## ygingi (Jul 15, 2018)

Dear fellow animal lovers,

I was hesitating to open a thread but I am in need of help.

I thank you for reading this long thread.

My story is about adoption of cats from a well known charity and this issue has been on going for over a month.

I was kept waiting for their decision by one of the volunteer for 3 weeks but me and my neighbours contacted HQs as the situation has developed into an uncomfortable event you may not believe.

I will put the story as simple as possible below:

1. Background
The ginger male cat has been living in our neighbourhood for over 3 years. He was stray and unneutered but we knew one of our neighbours was the owner who unfortunately took in dogs. I am not here to blame this owner as this cat was happy with me and other neighbours. But I could not offer adopt this cat at taht point as I had my own cat who lived for nearly 20 years. At the same time, everyone in this neighbourhood looked after him so I hesitated to offer adoption as if I am taking away this cat from them. Having said that he is so close to me in particular and stayed overnight when it rained and during winter.

2. In the first one week of June, we noticed he has not been seen for a while and I and my neighbours searched for him and found out that he was taken by this charity. My neighbour contacted its media office and got a reply on 8 June that he was located, waiting for neutering. I was in touch with its contact centre separately and they said they have been investigating. Until this point, things were OK as they promised that this cat would not go anywhere.

3. The volunteer came to meet me on 11 June. She explained following:
A. This ginger cat had the owners and was named Alfred.
B. As I have been looking after him, I could adopt him after neutering. I asked specifically about necessary documents and was given that she needed only permission from my landlord, which I obtained.
C. I asked specifically if he needed further medical treatment, and she replied, no, as he was a very healthy cat.

D. I was told that there was a risk in the area, however, which is known by the charity for a long period of time. The risk is that one of my neighbours had a potential mental issue or something that made her trap cats randomly. I was asked to keep this matter secret.

As for D, other neighbours were given the same explanation. At this point, we believed what this volunteer said but with a second thought, I felt uneasy because if there is any risk that affects animal welfare and if this organisation knows this risk for such a long period of time enough to pinpoint this neighbour, why did they not tackle this issue, rather than asking me to hide it. My neighbours held the same view.

Therefore, I spoke to this neighbour. She was upset about a false accusation. I explained this to HQs but they avoided to answer to this specific matter.

4. This volunteer asked me to wait for another one week as the previous owner might come forward and said that they could not contact the owner, due to the Data Protection Act. I thought it was strange and talked to Blue Cross which said the DPA did not prevent them from contacting the owner. So, I explained this to HQs as the whole point of microchipping is to raise probability of finding the owners. They did not answer to this matter either.

5. I waited until 23 June. I was told:
A. I could not adopt him as I was just feeding him, not caring him, despite of this volunteer having said to me that I was looking after him.
B. They were rehoming this cat outside of London, now because he would need a permanent home and a new environment.
C. I was told he was a healthy cat during my meeting on 11 June but she then told me that he might need more treatment, indicating that she tried to put me off by saying financial burden.

I talked to Mayhew as they do TNR. They said as long as I was offering adoption, the return of this cat should be supported. I mentioned this to HQs but obviously they avoided to talk about it.

6. I explained what happened to my neighbours as they were so upset and I submitted petition to HQs, in which my neighbours said that they would support my wish to adopt this cat.
I also noted that unless HQs confirm the risk mentioned above, we regarded this as groundless reasons to refuse my adoption.

7. Remember A in section 3?

I was told this cat had the owners. Yet, on 13 July, following my reply to HQs in which I specifically mentioned that the previous owner knew this unfolding story by then, they said, 'please be assured' as the vet put a microchip and this charity named this cat Alfred.

Did you find how insulting to say this to me after a month wait?

My friend spoke to the previous owner who said that his name was not Alfred in the first place. So how this volunteer knew this cat was named Alfred by the previous owners, and does it make sense that they are saying that they put a microchip but he had the owners?

Even after a month wait and lots of contradictions, inconsistency and I have to say obvious lies, they are still saying they are looking for a new home for him outside of London.

In this circumstance, on 14 July, I sent my initial complaint letter, email correspondence with HQs and petition to its trustee limited company.

Should I be blamed for doing this or making a new thread here?
I feel I should be allowed, because I gave my trust to this volunteer and waited for three weeks, but they are still covering this up.

I am not here to criticise this entire organisation to be precise as I believe most of them are genuinely caring cat welfare. But at the same time, I felt some other people, who are seeking genuine adoption, might have been given reasons that did not make sense, but could not fight as this charity is too big to confront.
This case has a lot of implication, not only a false accusation about my neighbour, but also unfair treatment to myself and creating distrust and suspicion among my neighbours.

The last reply clearly mentioned that who will be responsible for vet bills, which made think that I was regarded as being not wealthy enough to adopt this cat.

In addition, the surprise thing was that she said she did not see this cat when she visited me. It was an important home visit to discuss adoption and you may wonder if this volunteer did not know about the cat I was talking about, then, what is the point of having a home visit? She just came to judge me, how wealthy I was?

I got an impression that she selected people on her own benefit, not considering cat's true welfare and emotion and affection shown by people like me and my neighbours. This view is shared by my neighbours now.

He was my true companion and my neighbours know about it. I am totally heartbroken to know he was taken away in this way and I was given lies and treated with insult and disgrace, not knowing where he is now.

I apologise for my strong language and you may find this thread annoying, but this has happened, involving not only me but also my neighbours who have also doubts on their handling.

I did not go to Twitter or whatever to rant about this, but I am not sure if I am now reaching to a stage to hire a solicitor. I am still trying to solve this matter rationally but they just kept repeating saying that rehoming outside London is an option for the sake of Alfred's welfare. The more I hear this, the more my worries grew as if he had not been alive since 8 June.

Thank you for your time for reading my thread and it is appreciated you share your thoughts or advice on this matter.

Yasmin

UPDATES: I forgot to add the following as this event has lots of things to explain:

A. The previous owner said he was happy for me to adopt this cat. My friend did not contact this owner as this volunteer said it was a legal matter and a contact should not be made.

B. As they implicated that I was the person who could not afford to keep this cat, I replied saying that I could show them receipts from a vet for medical treatment for my late cat.

UPDATES: I did not know personally in the beginning this neighbour was really the owner of this cat and the charity told me that they could not contact this person due to data protection act. After three week waiting, as they did not bring up the matter of legal issue associated with the ownership, a contact was made with the alleged previous owner to find out if he was the owner and he said he was. I should have contacted this person sooner but what could I do at that point as I was asked to wait.


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## Babyshoes (Jul 1, 2016)

This sounds like a complicated case, as well as being very upsetting for you. 

I'd strongly suggest getting legal advice before you put too many details online, as a public thread could detail any future legal proceedings, if it comes to that. 

I wish you luck with this!


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## ygingi (Jul 15, 2018)

Thank you for your reply.
It is very much appreciated. 

Yes, as you mentioned, I hesitated to talk about too much online and for this reasons, I did not name this charity here for now. 

I will consider legal action unless they solve this matter as soon as. 
I am still hoping this cat in their care and they will release him.

Thanks again for your comment.

Yasmin


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## Paddypaws (May 4, 2010)

I really do feel for you and hope you are successful in your appeals. 
In slight defence of rescue charities I will mention that it is not unusual for ‘stray’ cats to be reported or handed into rescue which actually need expensive vet treatment only for an owner to appear once the charity has funded the treatment. Also, some cats are claimed by owners who have been away on longish holidays and treat the rescue centre as free lodgings! 
I am not at all suggesting that this is the case here but working with rescues does unfortunately make people suspicious and untrusting.


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## ygingi (Jul 15, 2018)

Dear Paddypaws, 

Thank you for your reply.
It is very much appreciated. 

I was told early June that I could take him home right after neutering and he needs only once a year health check up. I had a cat who lived for 21 years and I paid bills when she suffered a stroke. I told them about this. Ironically, this ginger cat was kept at the vet that I used when I brought my late for treatment, so they should have my payment record.

As for the previous owners, I did not explain about it properly above so I put another update above.

I am now waiting for a reply from the trustees and I am still having a hope that he would be returned based on their last comment on 13 July that they are still looking for a new home for him.

Again, I thank you for your comment. 

Yasmin


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## TriTri (Oct 31, 2017)

Hi Yasmin, I am wondering if the cat, though fed and loved by your neighbours and yourself, was requiring medical treatment and not receiving it?
I was in a similar situation, wanting to take on two badly treated cats, kept in a brick built damp shed with 2 dogs, all of which were ill and the dogs died. The cats wandered the streets begging. I had just taken in another neighbour’s elderly cat and had his tumours removed and he had other illnesses and needed to be an only cat at this time. I talked my mum into having one of the cats and I talked neighbours (friends of mine) into taking in the other cat, though they didn’t do a wonderful job and the cat continued to wonder and was fed and comforted by many neighbours, and also my mum in the next road to me, until I could give him a permanent home with me. The point is, during this waiting period, I made sure the cat was medically treated. I paid for medical treatment, which no one else did, and I left constant food supplies with my mum. As kind as the neighbours were to him, should they be his best option for a permanent home, if they failed him with necessary medical treatment?
Maybe I have got your situation wrong, but could it be that he has medical issues, that have not been seen to? Maybe they have been missed? Especially as I doubt one person was able to witness his daily eating habits, daily toileting, frequency of being sick etc. I’m just guessing.


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## ygingi (Jul 15, 2018)

Dear TriTri, 

Thank you for your reply. It is very much appreciated that you have taken your time to read my story.

When this cat started visiting me, I noticed he was scratching himself a lot and I fell into a bad situation that my flat was infested with fleas. I gave him flea treatment and disinfected my flat. Since then, I has been giving him flea treatment every month. He was healthy, eating well, asking me for brushing occasionally. At one point he had a small injury and I was so worried that I contacted local vets and charities but they did not give me positive answer for treatment. Some of them said I needed to find out if he had the owner. He then disappeared for a few days and I could not locate him and so, I could not take him to a vet. But when he appeared again, his injury healed and looked healthy, asking for food. This is very regrettable experience for me as people may think that I failed to provide treatment to this cat immediately. I honestly told to this charity about this incidence and the fact that I was treating him for fleas. Since this incidence, I was checking him every time he visited me for any injury as I did not want to oversight any sign if it ever happened next time. But he has been fine since then. 

Having said that I also understand that this is not what the rescues see as 'caring' in their definition probably. 
if so they should have told me that I did not provide him a medical check-up during the course. They rather came up with a false accusation of my neighbour and untrue stories, So, I did not find any transparency and honesty. I was told by the volunteer that he was a healthy cat and did not have leukemia, Therefore, all I need was permission from my landlord to adopt this cat.

During my wait, I stood with a view given by another charity that this cat should be returned to where he belongs to as long as there is a person who is offering adoption.

At this point after over one month, I just do not get why this charity stubbornly sticks to this particular cat while asking people for rehoming of hundreds of poor cats and why this volunteer gave me false stories and inconsistent comments as if she thought I was naive to believe what she would say.

But I am waiting for a reply from the trustees. I spoke to Charity Commission and I was told that I am taking a right step.

I am sorry if my answer is off the point but the whole story does not make sense at all and . 

Again, I thank you for your comments. 
Yasmin


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## TriTri (Oct 31, 2017)

ygingi said:


> Dear TriTri,
> 
> Thank you for your reply. It is very much appreciated that you have taken your time to read my story.
> 
> ...


Hi Yasmin and thank you for your reply.

Firstly I think Babyshoes has a good point.

It sounds as though you are not being treated fairly. Honesty IMO is always best, so I hope they are being honest. You clearly think the world of this dear cat and I personally would be wanting evidence that the cat is both well and alive and I would be wanting to see him with my own eyes. I do however wonder if there is some risk in your neighbourhood, to the cat, that they are aware of, but feel they cannot discuss with anyone, at this particular time. I do know of such incidences and it would be awful for you to name and shame a cat charity, so please be careful in your actions and think of the knock on effect it would have on other cats, if people stopped funding them. Make sure you get a reply or replies in writing and I wish you the best of luck. Be prepared, if they do quiz you on finances further, and remember the PDSA may be able to help you there with veterinary treatment and also, I believe Cats Protection pay vets bills if you take on an old cat of theirs, over about 12 yrs- I think- please check this if you are talking about the CP, but don't state a reply online - things may have changed, but I believe this is this case. How old is the cat? 
Good luck and please let us know how you get on once you have an outcome.


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## ygingi (Jul 15, 2018)

Dear TriTri,

Thanks again for your comment.

Yes, as Babyshoes suggested, I should not disclose too much details online.
Please do not get me wrong as my aim is not to name and shame this charity but to get this cat back. 
So it took a while for me to come to this forum but I just did not know what to do and wanted to know if anyone had a similar situation. 

As for some risk you mentioned, this was a false accusation and groundless as I explained above.
The cat is about 6 years old and I just hope he is still alive.

I will definitely let you and others who gave me replies know about the outcome.

Thanks again and have a great day.

Yasmin


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## TriTri (Oct 31, 2017)

ygingi said:


> Dear TriTri,
> 
> Thanks again for your comment.
> 
> ...


Hi Yasmin, thank you for your reply. 
The risk I mentioned, wasn't the risk the charity told you about, but i'm thinking there could be another BIG risk in your area, that they cannot tell you about? If so, yes the cat has managed to dodge any local risks in his 3 years there, but that doesn't mean a risk should be ignored for the future. I could be meowing (or barking)! Up the wrong tree here, but there could be another risk in your area that they cannot discuss, in which case, would you be prepared to move home? I wouldn't advise you to move, but if it were an option, perhaps you could put that to them as a last option?


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## ygingi (Jul 15, 2018)

Dear TriTri,

Sorry for my answer.
No, there is no risk. I can see other neighbours' cats on the street and they are fine.
There is nothing we in the neighbourhood are really worried about.
But if they know any risk, they should tell the neighbourhood, do you think?
I mentioned to them that any risk that may cause any sort of harm to animals in the neighbourhood should be assessed and addressed to the community.
Yasmin


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## TriTri (Oct 31, 2017)

ygingi said:


> Dear TriTri,
> 
> Sorry for my answer.
> No, there is no risk. I can see other neighbours' cats on the street and they are fine.
> ...


Hi Yasmin
You have already said that they have said that the neighbourhood cats are at risk and that she told other neighbours the same. She also asked you keep it a secret but you still chose to speak with the accused neighbour, who denied it. The accused neighbour surely, realistically wasn't going to admit to her actions, was she? I read this thread hoping to try to see things from both points of view and try to work out the problem. I honestly do not believe they would have made up a story about a neighbour and also named that neighbour, and I think your need to get the dear cat back, is clouding the reality, so you are wanting to believe she is innocent, when chances are, she isn't innocent in this. I suspect this isn't what you want to hear, but i'm on your side, or to be precise, on the side of the cat and it's welfare. They aren't going to make up a story like this and also name the culprit If it were not true. I don't think, from your description, that you fully understood what they said about her mental health state etc. As much as you don't want it to be true, I suspect it's probably even worse than you know. You may well see neighbours cats about, that appear to be safe, but you aren't likely to see the cats that haven't been safe. I may not be explaining this very well, but I think you should give them the benefit of the doubt, for the cat's sake. I suspect they will get back to you and hopefully explain things better to you once they have investigated your complaint. Things can't always be as black and white as we want them to be.


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## ygingi (Jul 15, 2018)

Dear TriTri,
Thanks again for your comments, It is appreciated that you give me your thoughts.

TriTri, you said, 'I honestly do not believe they would have made up a story about a neighbour and also named that neighbour, and I think your need to get the dear cat back, is clouding the reality'.

Yes, I had the same view as yours because you would not think that volunteers of a big charity make up stories. I gave my trust to this volunteer but unfortunately, it turned out to be the opposite, and that is why I am upset and shocked, and also I asked the HQ to investigate whether this is true or not. 

Although I cannot put too much here, I have to add that this alleged neighbour owns a cat and I chatted with her several times before when she was out with her cat outside of her flat. I could not believe when I heard of such allegation against her. 

I wish I can explain everything to you in detail but TriTri, I really appreciate your comments and thoughts.
I will let you know once they reply to me. 

Yasmin


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