3 Humane Options for Pet Care When Humans are in Crisis
One of our favorite rest stops on the way from here to there is a gas station complete with a fenced dog park. On a return trip at the height of summer, we timed our stop for a Shiloh-break. While Joe let Shiloh run through the long grass, I attended to the car.
I was praising the virtues of the dog park with the cashier when I learned the pup playground had been closed for several days due to a feral cat that refused to leave the park. The employee had captured the cat earlier that morning. Said cat was in a box under the shade of a cottonwood tree. The employee, with no money to surrender the cat to the local shelter, was hoping someone would intervene.
Cat in the box
I cautiously lifted the box flap, expecting a snarling feline ready to pounce. Instead, two blank eyes glanced weakly before settling behind heavy eyelids. No attempt was made to flee my imposition nor the multitude of buzzing flies.
Joe took one look at me, one look at the cat, and opened the hatch. He knew a plan was in motion.
That plan included rushing the cat to the emergency vet clinic where our daughter, Mia, was working. I was committed to giving the scruffy black creature a gentle end to his suffering.
Mia shook my shoulder at 3:30 in the morning. “Mom, what should I do with the cat?”
“What cat?” I asked. I had no clarity in the ambiguity of the hour.
“Mom, the veterinarian said she wouldn’t euthanize the cat. He’s not dying of illness. He’s dying from starvation. The cat is in the box in my car. Where should I put it?”
“Oh crap,” I muttered as I stumbled out of bed with the realization that my unprofessional assessment had been amiss.
Mia and I hastily reassembled the extra-large dog kennel in the small storage room of the basement. Into it we put a litter box, a bed of towels, a tiny bit of cat food thinned with water, and the pitiful black cat.
He’d been dewormed, deflead, vaccinated, and administered fluids under the skin – with none of that effort improving his condition. His eyes and nose were severely sunken. Sparse fur on tattered ears gave witness to his fight with fleas and foes. His fur more filth than black. I nestled him in the towels, closed the doors to kennel and room, then turned out the light.
Plan b
Plan? I had no plan. I’d never resuscitated a starving cat, let alone a feral cat. So every few hours I’d hold my breath and quickly open the kennel door, placing a tablespoon of food near the front of the kennel.
There was no need to worry about a lunging cat. This guy was firmly rooted to his nest. When he hadn’t eaten after day one, Mia sprang to action. She put the cat in her lap and gently forced a little food onto the roof of his mouth with her finger. Success. He licked a few bites then settled into slumber.
Feedings were volleyed between Mia and me. Little victories were celebrated each time he ate a bite. A big celebration ensued when he peed and pooped in the litter box.
On day six, he surprised us by walking out of the kennel. Before we could cheer, he began spinning in circles like a puppy chasing his tail.
The circling continued for a week. Each day the diameter growing bigger until he walked a straight line. He soon gained a pound, then another, and finally weighed ten pounds instead of six. We named him Milton.
Milton would nudge my hand for a chin scratch and lean into the brush. He’d curl tight to my waist as I watched TV, my hand lazily petting his thickening fur. He’d snuggle with our cat Checkers and bat playfully with Shiloh.
When abandoned foster kitten, Sprout, was healthy enough to join our menagerie, Sprout and Milton bonded like long-lost brothers. Soon after, Milton and Sprout found a forever home with a host of four-legged creatures. Three years later, left-for-dead Milton runs the show.
Why animals are abandoned
Milton wasn’t feral. He’d simply been dumped. We won’t ever know his specific circumstances, but there are a number of reasons why people boot their pets - cats, dogs, guinea pigs, rabbits, hamsters, horses – out the door.
Animal illness and health problems
Unemployment and underemployment
Housing insecurity
Hospitalization or long-term rehabilitation
Relationship changes
Family violence
Military deployment
Death of a family member
Disasters like hurricanes, wildfires, tornadoes, floods
Surrender and surrender prevention options
If you feel you have no other option than to turn away from an animal, stop. Take a moment to lean on the internet for help. There you’ll find a growing body of resources at a time when you feel you have none.
ANIMAL SHELTERS AND HUMANE SOCIETIES. It’s true many require a surrender fee. For those who can pay, surrender fees help cover the cost of animal care and home-finding. Don’t assume they can’t help if you can’t pay.
In fact, there are three key reasons why many shelters would prefer you talk with them about your situation.
It’s a lot easier on a shelter if a pet stays in your home rather than becoming a ward of theirs. To help people keep pets in their homes, many shelters now provide pet food, grooming services and behavior training to the pets of community members experiencing a challenge.
Some, like the ASPCA, even provide free or low-cost veterinary care at locations across the U.S.
Carver Scott Humane Society in Minnesota has a Shelter Diversion Program that helps with pet deposits for rentals along as funds allow.
Michigan Humane has a Safety Net foster program where pets are housed temporarily in a foster home while a family works through a crisis such as hospitalization or loss of home.
Many shelters network with animal welfare groups. If your local shelter doesn’t provide on-site services, they might know who does. For instance, many shelters in Minneapolis refer people to two pet food pantries that serve the community; the People & Pets Together pet food shelf in the Chuck ‘N Dons Pet Wellness Center and the North Minneapolis Pet Resource Center.
If surrender is your only option, a shelter may be willing to waive the surrender fees if you are unable to pay.
RESCUE GROUPS. Most rescue groups do not accept surrenders, however, that doesn’t mean always. As mentioned above, make some calls. Talk to some people. I fostered a dog through our rescue group when one of our volunteers was asked for help by our veterinarian partner. The doctor had a client who was moving into an assisted living facility. She couldn’t bring her pets. The vet was trying to help rehome them.
YOUR PET'S VETERINARIAN. Veterinarians do not accept surrenders. They may, however, have connections as mentioned above. If you are struggling to care for your pet, let your vet office know. They may be able to provide some suggestions on what to do or be willing to make some calls on your behalf.
ANIMAL WELFARE GROUPS. Welfare groups don’t shelter animals for rehoming but help people find care for their animals during a difficult time. There are an astounding number of animal welfare groups that provide aid. Below are just a few resources to jump-start your search.
Domestic Violence or Sexual Assault Support: The Safe Havens Mapping Project and DomesticShelters.org help individuals experiencing domestic violence or sexual assault find safe housing for their pets while they address their safety needs.
Military and Veterans Support: PACT for Animals, Dogs on Deployment and Guardian Angels for Soldier’s Pets were created to help active military personnel and honorably discharged veterans. They offer foster programs to keep pets safe and loved. Some even have financial support systems if a pet requires medical care.
Homelessness and At Risk Support: The Street Dog Coalition provides free medical care and related services to the pets of people experiencing, or at risk, of homelessness. They have programs in many cities across the U.S.
Veterinary Support: RedRover Relief Urgent Care grant program provides small gap funding to pet guardians with limited income for veterinary treatments that are predicted to have a good or favorable outcome.
LOCAL LIBRARY. I find that if I have a question I can’t answer, a librarian can almost always point me in a good direction. They know how to do research and often love a good challenge. If you have nowhere else to turn, call or visit a library near you.
Rehoming
Rehoming is the process whereby you, or a service you hire, finds your pet a new home. During the rehoming process, your pet stays in your home until a new home is found. Our blog Rehoming When Your Home is No Longer an Option walks you through the do-it-yourself and service-for-hire options.
In most service-for-hire organizations, the adopter pays the fees, not the person seeking help with rehoming.
Choose humane: choose surrender, Rehoming, or keep your pet in your home with help
Abandoning your pet exposes it to an uncertain fate. It assumes someone else will capture and take care of it, or the animal will successfully fend for itself.
Don’t put your pet’s life at risk when there are resources and people to help. Give your friend a second chance. Your heart won’t regret it.
Choose humane! There are many options to help.