Choosing a Well-Managed Shelter or Rescue

Last Updated on December 27, 2022 by Holly Anne Dustin

Have you ever adopted a kitty from a shelter or rescue group and regretted making the choice even though you love the kitty? I have. We adopted an adorable kitten and he’s everything we wanted. But unfortunately he came with an illness that ran through two households of pets and cost us so much money at the vet. The shelter had told us he “had had the sniffles but he’s fine now.” That’s just one of the risks of not working with a well-managed shelter or rescue.

Just as not all breeders are not created equal, not all shelters and rescue groups are created equal. A poorly run shelter or rescue can turn an adoption dream into a nightmare. Concerned about where you are adopting, putting your money, or your volunteer time?

Consider these facts. There are 3 or 4 general types of shelters and rescues:

• The first is the municipal, publicly funded, open admission shelter. You might know it as animal control, “the pound”, the humane society, ASPCA, or an animal refuge or animal welfare league.
• Second, 501c3 charity rescues or shelters. They may run off donations alone or they receive some money from the town for animal welfare services if the town doesn’t have a public shelter. They may have paid staff or be volunteer based. There may be a central shelter building or the rescue may depend on foster homes.
• Private rescue groups that depend on donations. These shelters aren’t registered 501c3 charities. Donations aren’t tax deductible. Typically are volunteer run and foster based.
• Private rescues that are basically one person or family saving cats in their area. This can be a well-run effort, or it can be a hoarding situation under another name.

“Choosing which organization you adopt from can be just as important as choosing which pet to adopt,” says Inga Fricke, director of sheltering initiatives and outreach at HSUS. “There are no oversight or regulatory groups that distinguish reputable animal welfare groups from disreputable ones so it’s important to do your homework.”

Check out these traits of a well-Managed shelter or rescue

What to Look for in a Well-Managed Rescue or Shelter:

A well-managed shelter takes good care of the pets in their care.
Proper care is a lot more than just providing food, water, and a clean litter box. Kitties arrive in rescue in all kinds of conditions. Fleas, worms, mites, respiratory conditions, matted fur and more. Some have wounds from living on the street or being abused.

A well-Managed rescue will not take on more than they can handle:

The need is always great. But allowing compassion to overwhelm the space, finances, and volunteer resources available leads to overcrowding and an unhealthy environment for the cats in their care.

• Do the cats in the shelter have enough space or are they crowded into cages that are too small? Do they have time to roam outside their enclosure?
• Are they provided with enrichment options? This can include providing toys, puzzle feeders, cardboard scratchers, and sensory experiences to the cats in their enclosures.
• Does the rescue provide socialization for the cats in their care?

A well-run shelter or rescue will have good business practices:

They should be transparent about how the rescue runs. If you get the sense that the rescue is trying to keep things private, or provides confusing answers, consider adopting or donating elsewhere.

• Are they a 501c3 charity? Are they in the process of applying for it? That status allows their supporters to write off their donations on their tax returns. It also requires that the rescue have a board of directors, file a tax return, and possibly have an audit performed regularly by a CPA depending on the size and location of the organization. It means that outside eyes are looking at the books which reduces the chance for malfeasance.
• Do they have appropriate controls over their monetary resources and supplies?
• Do they have an orderly system for keeping track of the intake forms, vet records, history, etc. for the cats in their care?
• If a personal rescue, does the person running the program have a plan for the cats in their care in the event of an emergency or their demise?

A Good Rescue Communicates:

• The staff should be friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable.
• They should reply to inquiries promptly. If they have specific hours that they reply to phone calls that should be obvious somewhere on their website and voicemail greeting. If they have social media, someone should monitor it.
• The rescue or shelter should have clear descriptions of their fee structure, their adoption process, and the rules and restrictions they have for people wanting to adopt or foster.
• The shelter will conduct calls, emails, or visits to follow-up on animals they have adopted out to make sure things are going well or provide assistance as needed.
• They will want to answer all your questions about the cats in their care.
• It seems like it should be obvious but apparently it isn’t. A well-run rescue tells the truth. They should tell the truth about the age, history, health, and personality quirks of their kitties.

Read this post on choosing a new kitten before you adopt your next cat.

A Well-Managed Rescue Educates

The goal of all well-run shelters or rescues is to adopt the right cats to the right people.

• Staff should educate adopters about the personalities and care needs of the cats in their care.
• They should make sure that adopters understand things like grooming needs of longhaired cats, the energy level of kittens, and potential medical issues with older cats.
• The rescue should explain to adopters how to integrate their new feline friend into their home.
• Good rescues will explain the basics of cat behavior such as litter box behavior, scratching, play, and need for enrichment.
• Well-run shelters will follow up with their adopters to answer any questions and help with any problems..

A well-Managed shelter has adequate Resources:

Resources certainly include funding. But a well-managed shelter or rescue will also have:

• Adequate staff , foster homes, and volunteers to support the animals in their care.
• Relationships with vets, clinics, and behaviorists in the area.
• A network with other sheltering resources in the area. A well-run shelter has connections for outreach and cooperation with other well-run rescues.
• Support in the community for successful donation drives and adoption events.

Sometimes, it’s easier to talk about what to avoid than it is to talk about what to look for. That’s true in the case of looking for a good rescue or shelter to work with. While great shelters come in all shapes and sizes, there are some pretty big, consistent warning signs of shelters to steer clear of.

What to Avoid in Poorly Managed Shelters

A poorly managed rescue or shelter competes with other shelters

• They don’t cooperate in adoption events or community outreach options.
• They don’t share information or network with others.
• They actively put down other organizations in front of potential adopters or supporters.

A poorly-run rescue is restrictive without clear guidelines.

Some rescues and shelters feel more like hoarding situations. This is especially true with private or “personal” rescues. But I have seen it in registered charities too. They make it virtually impossible to adopt one of their cats.

• Their adoption criteria are very restrictive about the age or living situation of the adopter.
• They require an extensive background check and home visit.
• They look for reasons an adoption won’t work instead of why it will.
• They choose to keep a cat on site even when adoption options are available.

A poorly-managed rescue rushes adoptions

A poor rescue requires that you make a snap decision. A rescue should be concerned with the long-term well-being of their cats and making the right connection. They won’t rush you or only give you a few minutes to meet the cat at an adoption event before expecting a decision.

Badly run shelters have poor communication

Your outreach shouldn’t go unanswered. For a smaller, volunteer-run, rescue this can be a challenge. But, if they can’t reply quickly then they should give you expectations of when you will hear back.
You should be able to ask questions about the cat you adopted after the fact and receive truthful and satisfactory answers.

A poorly-managed rescue doesn’t follow the laws

Most states have rules that cover pet adoption. There is a certain period of time cats have to be held before they can be adopted so lost cats can be reunited with their family. Cats that cross state lines probably need to be quarantined for a certain period of time. They may need a health certificate from a local veterinarian. A well-run rescue will not skirt these laws.

A badly-managed rescue has poor business management.

• The intake forms and paperwork on their cats is missing, deficient, or disorganized.
• If the same person is responsible for accounting, purchasing, and fundraising without oversight, you might reconsider donating to the rescue.
• There is no plan for continuity if critical staff leave or retire or, in the case of a personal rescue, become ill or pass away.

A poorly run rescue doesn’t care for their cats adequately.

• There aren’t enough people to take care of keeping the litter boxes and premises clean.
• The cats are not socialized or kept groomed.
• Cats are not current on vaccinations, health checks, and spay/neuter due to poor recordkeeping or lack of resources.

Prefer to work with a breeder? Click on this post for tips on how to choose a good one.

So how do you find out this information?

Some of it you can only learn from experience or inside contacts. But you can find some by checking out the rescue or shelter’s website, their social media, and by googling their reviews. Read the good, the bad, and the ugly.

You can check out a charity’s finances and reputation with the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance or Charity Navigator. But charities have to apply for a listing there. Not all smaller organizations will have applied for certification.

You can find a copy of a nonprofit’s Form 990 filed with the IRS by searching at https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/ It can give you information on the board of directors, and the income/expenses of the organization.

Why Work with a Well-Managed Shelter or Rescue?

You might think your donation dollars can have more impact if you donate to the small but poorly run rescue. But will it be used responsibly? Will your volunteer hours help a disorganized rescue? Will it drive you crazy if you find your work undone by the following week?

It can be easy to be sidetracked by the cute little kitten or sweet cat in need of a home. But where you adopt matters. If you adopt from a badly-managed shelter you could end up with a sick cat like I did, but it could be so much worse than just a kitty cold or worms. You could find out your cat is really 5 years older than you were told. You could be told Kitty has a little gum disease or a minor heart murmur to find out from your vet it’s refractory stomatitis or HCM. A little research can save your dream cat adoption from turning into a nightmare.