Should you take her home? You already have nine cats, two dogs and three goldfish... but will one more make a big difference?
This is how it starts — one rescued animal at a time. For many, things work out fine. For others, the responsibilities and costs becomes simply too much.
“Rescue and hoarding cases (are) on the rise locally and nationally,” according to Mick Sagester, shelter supervisor at the Animal Resource Center of Montgomery County.
“Sometimes well-meaning rescues or hoarding organizations get overwhelmed,” Sagester said. In an effort to save lives, they end up keeping the animals too long, and “in the interest of being good to the animals, ended up being bad to them.”
Things to consider before taking in an animal
“You should be able to provide quality food and take care of their medical needs,” said Marsha Kerns, who with her husband, Jerry, started Tenth Life in Beavercreek Twp., a local no-kill cat shelter, more than 25 years ago. It now houses more than 400 cats, has its own vet and adopts the cats out to folks who love cats.
Kerns recommends the following:
Money: "You need sufficient funds to cover the initial veterinary expenses for exams, blood tests, vaccinations and spaying/neutering," she said. Compare prices if you do not already have a regular vet. Low-cost programs that cover spaying/neutering, vaccinations and testing are available.
Time: Devote ample time to introducing a new pet to your household, family and other pets. It takes at least two to four weeks for a new pet to be fully introduced. Plan at least an hour a day that you can devote to your new pet.
Space: Make sure you have a large enough space in your home that each pet can have its own private place and not be bothered by people or other pets. Besides that, you also need a litter box for each cat. Cats will not limit themselves to just one litter box, but a rule of thumb is one per cat.
How many pets should you shelter? "No rule of thumb that I know of, but the first consideration is no more than you can financially afford to feed and provide proper veterinary care," Kerns said.
Some areas require a kennel license if you have above their limited number. Check your municipality’s rules and regulations regarding animals. Some neighborhoods, developments (typically condos) will limit the number of pets you may have.
How do you know if you have taken on too much? When you cannot financially afford to take care of their medical needs or have trouble providing quality food for them, you have too many, Kerns said.
Other indicators are: too many cats failing to use the litter box, the cats fighting, cats hiding from the others or losing weight because of the stress.
When you do not have time to spend individual time with each pet daily, you also have too many, Kerns said. Pets need individual attention every day to be happy and healthy.
What is the financial impact on the family? When you take in a new pet that is not vaccinated, tested or neutered, the financial impact is huge. In general, an office visit is about $35 dollars in addition to vaccinations, testing and neutering.
Vaccinations are about $15-25 dollars each. A cat needs a series of two panleukopenia and feline leukemia vaccinations, plus some areas, such as Montgomery County require rabies vaccinations.
The testing for feline leukemia and feline AIDs runs an average of $60. Spaying costs are $120-$250. Neuters are $100-$150. Some vets require that blood work be done before a cat is spayed or neutered, which accounts for the variation in the cost of these surgeries.
If a cat is to be front declawed, the cost ranges from about $150 for a declaw done with a scalpel to as much as $350 if done with the laser, which is the better method.
The food bill also can add up quickly. A 20-pound bag of a high-quality food, recommended by vets for maintaining good health, can cost $30-$40. This size bag of food will last one cat for a few months.
Licensing also includes costs. Licenses are to be renewed annually. The fee is $20 for 2010 in Montgomery County, for example. As cats in the state of Ohio do not currently require a license, there is no additional cost for this.
What are other ways to make a difference? If you cannot rescue animals in need yourself, there are plenty of other ways to make a difference:
• Volunteer at a local shelter.
• Help a friend or neighbor spay or neuter a cat if they cannot afford to have it done.
• Take a stray in for veterinary care, including spaying or neutering and vaccinations and find a loving, permanent home for it.
• Help feed and neuter a colony of feral cats in the neuter and release program.
• Donate financial support to a local shelter.
• Provide foster care to unwanted pets through a local shelter.
Rescuer’s story
Dianne Adkinson grew up in North Dayton and now lives in the Kettering/Dayton area with her 12 live-in cats, one neighborhood cat and one dog.
Yes, she’s been called the “crazy cat lady,” but she laughs about it.
She’s not crazy — she cares about animals. She doesn’t try to find them.
“I’ve noticed, animals tend to find you,” she said.
She said she notices animals in distress, and some people just don’t see them, even though they may be looking at the same thing.
Through the years, she has personally cared for more than 40 cats and dogs.
“My thinking is, you take on a critter, you take responsibility forever,” she said.
“I do not believe in ‘putting an animal down’ due to medical expense, but it does take a lot of money” to care properly for animals, especially as they age, she said.
If a pet rescuer has taken on too much and starts to realize it, the best thing to do is seek help.
She suggests letting a vet or shelter know of your situation before it gets too bad.
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