# bullying tactics from a rehoming centre



## elainesu (Nov 26, 2012)

desperately need advice for a friend whose mother has rehomed two cats from a local centre. they inspected the property and approved it. they insisted she have two cats, they didnt rehome just one. she was fine with this. she has now had the cats a month. they phone her about a week ago to ask how she was getting on. she just honestly chatted to them,saying she was surprised they had paired these 2 cats together because they didnt really get on, one was bold the other timid. she has been working with them and they are slowly adapting to each other. she is an experienced cat owner, her last cat was 19 years old before passing on and was under regular check ups from vet. she has been threatened that they are coming with a box to take them away. she said they couldnt come this last weekend because she was away. she now has had a threatening letter saying she was irresponsible to leave them, which she didnt, and they want the cats back. she is very distraught as are her daughters, can somebody advise.


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## scatchy (Nov 29, 2011)

It is very difficult to advise because there are always two sides to every story.
To be honest rather than getting involved in a lot of unpleasantness why not let them take the cats back - especially if they are not that happy together. There are many other cats needing homes. Why not go elsewhere where people are more reasonable. Put the cats needs first rather than getting into a battle of wills over who is right or wrong.


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## elainesu (Nov 26, 2012)

yes, I appreciate there are 2 sides to a story, but in the big picture, 2 cats have gone to a good home. Although the cats didnt initially get on, they didnt fight, the timid one just hid behind settee. Any rehoming is initially difficult, whether it be dogs or cats, and after a month of perseverence, she is loathe to part with them, the timid one now is coming to her for fuss, and has done for the last 2 weeks, so I really think she has done well and should be applauded for her efforts and devotion rather than have these dreadful upsetting phone calls and letters instead of being encouraged in her efforts and being given any advice and support she may need. I think it would be very upsetting and damaging to the cats to be bundled up and taken back to the rehoming centre.


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## ChinaBlue (Feb 3, 2008)

Is this a private rescue or one of the bigguns so to speak like RSPCA or CPL?
Did your mum sign any paperwork?

I agree with OP who said it is best not to get into a war of words etc over this if it can be avoided. Is it possible you could speak to another person involved in the rescue, other than the one your mum has been dealing with, and put her points forward particularly about the fact they were well cared for when your mum went away? You could perhaps invite them to visit to see how well the cats are progressing, though ensure they know that to do so you are NOT giving them permission to take the cats away. By showing that you are happy for them to see how things are going and how well they are doing should, hopefully, put their minds at rest. 

If they do carry on with these tactics though then you could consider contacting the local press and bringing this to their attention but I would really make that the very last resort.


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## elainesu (Nov 26, 2012)

thank you for this helpful reply. It is a local rescue centre, and no she didnt sign anything and paid a substantial amount for their upkeep in the centre, although that's neither here nor there. She is going to write a letter to them explaining that they werent left on their own etc etc and yes that is a good idea to invite them to visit. thanks


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## ChinaBlue (Feb 3, 2008)

I think that will, hopefully, go a long way to showing the rescue that your mum is very committed to their welfare and if the rescue can't see that then they need to take a good long hard look at the way they operate. 

Good luck.


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## mum to 14 kitties (Oct 31, 2012)

If kitties are settled and happy I might be tempted to tell the centre they can have them back when they have reimbursed the health care costs. This will make then think twice!!

Good luck!


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## egyptianreggae (May 26, 2012)

Does she have a rehoming contract? If the cats have been formally signed over to her, the rescue centre have no rights over them. Sounds like harassment to me- once you have homed a cat, you have no obligation to keep in touch with the rescue. They had their chance to vet your mum before she adopted them- now that she has, they need to be told in no uncertain terms to step back.


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## dorrit (Sep 13, 2011)

And then people wonder why gumtree is so popular.......


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## egyptianreggae (May 26, 2012)

I think inviting them over sounds like a good idea in theory, but in practise I think it's more likely to give them ammunition for further letters and phone calls. Tell them to get lost. They can't take the cats unless the owner agrees to it. I kind of agree with the last point about gumtree, but not all cat rescues are as crazy as this one!


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## Wiz201 (Jun 13, 2012)

I wouldn't put CPL or RSPCA in the same league as this rescue society as they have different branches. I got Jess from RSPCA for £50 with vaccinations included and I thought that was a fair amount to pay. I got to meet a nice fosterer who phoned me 4 weeks later and asked how I was getting on, which was fine. 
CPL did a home check, and although it took longer to find the cat, he did eventually come along. I got regular contact with them as support. Only thing they haven't done is phone me after 4 weeks.
Rescue centres should pair cats and test them together before going out to a home really.


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## polishrose (Oct 26, 2011)

I got my 2 from CPL almost 9 years ago-no home check, no questions-I had to go and pick them up from the person who had just rehomed them a month previously and wanted to hand them back saying it set off her son's asthma.They had no food or collars. Bingley was aggressive at first and when I rang CPL for some advice they told me to just bring him back and they would rehome him.I told them I wanted some advice on how to deal with his aggression and they said they didn't do advice I hung up on them.LOL.


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## elainesu (Nov 26, 2012)

She did sign one of these adoption contracts which states they can take back after 30 days if they are not happy with care and vice versa. They have offered refund, but the person in question is really happy with cats, cats are happy with her, and she cant see a problem and why, other than the phone calls have got very stressful with shouting etc. and the centre is now saying that they dont like her attitude. She has been over to the Centre to plead her case but they just said they would give her a cheque back. It all sounds very strange to me but I am no expert in rehoming centres other than donations etc. She is now going to send a letter to them to plead her case. I have passed all your comments on to her and she is grateful for your advice. Thank you all.


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## polishrose (Oct 26, 2011)

Surely the contract says within 30 days not after 30 days?That's just crazy if it's after 30 days as that means they could take the cats back 5 years later.


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## elainesu (Nov 26, 2012)

yes sorry, it was within 30 days, she was also going to contact the local citizens advice about the validity of the contract, but as they are only part time she was limited to as to when she could speak to them. It is well over the 30 days now, but I think their initial phone call might have been before 30 days was up. It has been dragging on for 2 weeks now. It really is an awful situation. I can really vouch for the person involved in that her last cat was treated like a princess and these will be as well. I am very good friends with her daughter and she is so upset as is her mother and surely after this time the it will upset the poor cats to go back. Apparently they had been in the centre for about 8-9 months


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## we love bsh's (Mar 28, 2011)

Would this work?..tell her to tell them the cats have got out and run away.Dodge the door for a while.


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## elainesu (Nov 26, 2012)

love that one, ps love your pictures


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## Guest (Nov 28, 2012)

Surely if it is past the 30 days they cannot do anything even though this has been going on for 2 weeks. They cannot be in too much of a hurry to get the cats back as you would have expected them to have come within a couple of days. That is just what I think. As a very last resort I would go to a local paper.


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## Grace_Lily (Nov 28, 2010)

It all sounds very odd to me. I've never heard of a rescue putting a clause into their contract about taking animals back from their new homes, could you get hold of a copy of this?

When did the rescue centre actually make the demand for the cats to be returned, before the 30 days were up or after? I think the person involved needs to seek legal advice.


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## fierceabby (May 16, 2011)

If this was me I would be prepared to do a 'softly softly catchy monkey' approach to get them to back off - if someone tried to remove my furbabies I'd not let them without making it difficult....rrr: I would be making noises about harrassment and making myself difficult to get hold of for a start.....

I would recommend you get them vet checked to show how they have shiny coats, clear eyes, no snuffles or watery eyes, they are a good weight and no health problems and ask the vet to write a letter to that effect. (keeping it for future back-up if need be - don't volunteer it to them)
I would be inclined to just not talk to the rescue on the phone (by never answering it then 1471'ing and calling back peeps I want to talk to) and not going over there. I would ignore them for a few weeks to see if they give up. 

Hopefully they will, with no visits or phone calls from your friend to feed off. I would hope they give up and concentrate their efforts into rehoming the cats still in their care.....

In the meantime can you find out if they stated they actually wanted them back before the thirty days, and who did the shouting? Your friend or the rescue? and like Grace-Lily asks - any chance you can get hold of this contract?? Then we can advise better x


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## Calvine (Aug 20, 2012)

elainesu said:


> yes, I appreciate there are 2 sides to a story, but in the big picture, 2 cats have gone to a good home. Although the cats didnt initially get on, they didnt fight, the timid one just hid behind settee. Any rehoming is initially difficult, whether it be dogs or cats, and after a month of perseverence, she is loathe to part with them, the timid one now is coming to her for fuss, and has done for the last 2 weeks, so I really think she has done well and should be applauded for her efforts and devotion rather than have these dreadful upsetting phone calls and letters instead of being encouraged in her efforts and being given any advice and support she may need. I think it would be very upsetting and damaging to the cats to be bundled up and taken back to the rehoming centre.


I feel for you and her. I rehomed a foster cat late September whom I had cared for for three years...Her mother was a foster who produced seven beautiful kittens, six of which were quickly homed (at 10 weeks) plus Dora. She was not an "easy" cat to do but this lovely couple came along, already had a cat which they adopted from the same charity. Wanted a companion for their first girl (had also been a difficult one, had been returned to the charity twice before they took her) I had described her honestly on the website and they came and loved her on sight. After six weeks, however, they rang and said she was still behind the settee... came out after dark to eat (HA!) but went back once they got out of bed. WELL>>>I knew that deep down they loved the little cow and were not giving up lightly so I said could they give it a bit longer...maybe try a Feliway, maybe try Zylkene. I was really sad as the new owner was crying which of course made me tearful too ..........and I knew she really wanted it to work. FINGERS CROSSED guys have not heard much in the past three weeks and so desperately hope that she has come round and given them an indication that she will in time come round. It would never have ocurred to me to tell them that they were rubbish adopters and I was going to take her back. OK if they had said, look we have tried now for x weeks, it's not working, sorry but please can you take her back. Most people will try to do all they can rather than send a cat back and cause it more stress. I have one who will have an epileptic fit just going to the vet in the car, I now have to have a home visit. cats are territorial, surely people who run "rescues" know that?

Good luck, sorry I'm ranting on.


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## jenny armour (Feb 28, 2010)

can i ask one thing, did the centre sign them over to your mum, if so then they are officially hers and they havent the right to take them back


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## izzyc (Dec 18, 2011)

jenny armour said:


> can i ask one thing, did the centre sign them over to your mum, if so then they are officially hers and they havent the right to take them back


^^ This.

I am not a lawyer... but legally pets are property. If your friend's mum is the registered owner of the cats then they can't just take them - it's theft. CP do a leaflet called 'Cats and the law' - look at what it says about the Theft Act 1968.

I find this whole thing really strange to be honest.

Why would any rescue would risk the possible negative publicity of taking the cats back now (and possibly being guilty of theft!) unless there were serious concerns about their welfare? And if they had serious concerns, why haven't they taken them back already??


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## elainesu (Nov 26, 2012)

its really a quandry to me, but I take my dog to agility classes, and the lady that runs it is a veterinary nurse and I spoke to her about it, she said that she had heard strange things about the centre herself although she didnt go into detail. Saying that I know a lot of people who have had animals from them and they havent even phoned them afterwards, although have had an home initial check. I havent heard anything this last day or so, other than she was going to write a letter and possibly get advice from a national rehoming centre. I think by enquiring as to the unsuitability of them being rehomed together has obviously put doubts into their minds as to her capabilities and then they have both rubbed each other up the wrong way with tempers flaring. I will keep you all posted about this and again thank everybody for their encouraging ideas and comments which I am passing on.


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