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Heartbroken after my experience with the local SPCA shelter
- Thread starter Frauleinash
- Start date
Frauleinash
Savannah Teenager
John, I think you may be right... i can't explain this, but when I first visited, I got this powerful feeling that I wouldn't even be considered. I don't think this would have destroyed me so badly if they had a legit reason behind the decision... but just because of some weird gut instinct?? Do other shelters deny applicants for such reasons??
Honestly, my feeling about shelters is you never know what you're going to end up with. If you go through a breeder you get a history and pedigree, as well as a person who knows the kitten/cat's personality. If you are set on a Savannah now, there are many breeders who offer retired breeding cats at steeply discounted rates, you just need to check around.
It may be that there was simply a personal dislike involved in this. It's not fair but I can imagine it happens. I don't know how the shelter runs, our rescue runs as a group and all of our core team look at applications and weigh in on the decisions. I know that I have actually forwarded applicants honestly saying that the person was rubbing me the wrong way but I wanted other people's take on the household. I personally don't want to deny a home because I don't "like" the person...I do try my hardest to look beyond that. But it is also true that sometimes you do as a rescuer have a gut feeling about a home and it often is best to listen to that gut feeling as it may be picking up on something that is not obvious but there.
I definitely believe as others here do, that this happened because this was not the cat you were meant to have. The right cat will come along. Patti has a very good point about the advantages of working with a breeder, and it is a similar feeling to offer a good home to a retired cat as it is to giving a rescue a home. Just this way you do know the background of the cat
I definitely believe as others here do, that this happened because this was not the cat you were meant to have. The right cat will come along. Patti has a very good point about the advantages of working with a breeder, and it is a similar feeling to offer a good home to a retired cat as it is to giving a rescue a home. Just this way you do know the background of the cat
Frauleinash
Savannah Teenager
I'd actually considered going through a breeder after this and looked around, but every website I saw that mentioned having possible retired breeders said that there is quite a long wait. Not only that, but because I live in NY state, I'm extremely limited in the types of savannas I'm legally allowed (f5 or later) so I imagine I could be waiting years. I'm not sure I can do this... because this experience with the shelter has re-opened the wound of losing my cat years ago, which is why I think this experience has hurt me so badly. I think my heart desperately wants to move on.
Frauleinash
Savannah Teenager
Maybe so. I do believe all things happen for a reason, so as much as I *felt* like she was the one... she apparently wasn't.
That was painful to type.
Frauleinash
Savannah Teenager
It may be that there was simply a personal dislike involved in this. It's not fair but I can imagine it happens. I don't know how the shelter runs, our rescue runs as a group and all of our core team look at applications and weigh in on the decisions. I know that I have actually forwarded applicants honestly saying that the person was rubbing me the wrong way but I wanted other people's take on the household. I personally don't want to deny a home because I don't "like" the person...I do try my hardest to look beyond that. But it is also true that sometimes you do as a rescuer have a gut feeling about a home and it often is best to listen to that gut feeling as it may be picking up on something that is not obvious but there.
I definitely believe as others here do, that this happened because this was not the cat you were meant to have. The right cat will come along. Patti has a very good point about the advantages of working with a breeder, and it is a similar feeling to offer a good home to a retired cat as it is to giving a rescue a home. Just this way you do know the background of the cat
The shelter doesn't have any system like that, this man (manager) makes his decisions on his own. It's very hard to convey how this whole thing went down via text, but regardless of how he felt about me *personally*, he never made any attempt to confirm otherwise. I've done quite a bit of self reflection and asked myself if there was anything I did that would make it ok for this man to continuously lie to me and treat me with such disrespect... but I don't think *anyone* deserves to be treated the way I was treated. This man KNEW that he had NO intention of calling my references and still made me wait in the office for hours with my hungry toddler for no reason. .. why? Couldn't he be professional enough to just say something? It was obvious that my child was uncomfortable, and I kept asking, "what's the deal? What are we waiting for? " and he would say he needed to call my references. But then he made zero attempt to do so. Another hour would pass. I would ask again, rinse, repeat. It was very strange. There were so many red flags that I ignored simply because I loved this cat so much.
I felt like he was trying to make it seem like I was an irresponsible pet owner because I hadn't taken my dead cat to the vet in over 5 years... but if my vet only keeps files for 3 years and my cat has been dead for 2 years and 8 months... that means I'm being judged for the four month period that my cat was alive that he didn't go to the vet. Since when is someone an irresponsible pet owner because they didn't take their pet to the vet in 4 months? Also, vaccination requirements vary from state to state... my vet strongly recommended that my senior cat only received his shots every 3 years because of his age and the fact that he was an indoor cat. So not every state requires yearly shots. But he wouldn't even call my vet to confirm any of this, he just acted like I was being shady, which was extremely hurtful and frustrating because he would not allow me to prove otherwise.
And now I'm going to forever wonder what it was that I said or did to give him this "gut feeling". I don't, however, wonder if I deserved this treatment... because no one does.
I agree that it was completely wrong to let you wait for hours with a toddler like that. Although it will not change the situation, a letter to management about your experience seems appropriate. They may care to know how this person is behaving.
Indeed, once properly vaccinated a cat only requires the FVRCP vaccine every 3 years, and hence yes a cat may not see a vet every year.
I think somehow you need to find closure and let go of this hateful person's actions. Maybe it is pursuing another cat. If there are no Savannah options, have you considered the Bengal? Quite a similar breed but a LOT more in rescue looking for a good home...
Indeed, once properly vaccinated a cat only requires the FVRCP vaccine every 3 years, and hence yes a cat may not see a vet every year.
I think somehow you need to find closure and let go of this hateful person's actions. Maybe it is pursuing another cat. If there are no Savannah options, have you considered the Bengal? Quite a similar breed but a LOT more in rescue looking for a good home...
Frauleinash
Savannah Teenager
I think I might just give his superior a "heads up" about some of his comments and actions, simply because I know I personally would want to know if my staff was misrepresenting my organization and hurting relationships with potential adopters. I know it won't result in the cat, but at this point, I feel like the universe is telling me that this isn't the right situation for me, for whatever reason. I accept this. I'm going to wait until I'm a little less emotional to contact her.
I've tried to focus my thoughts on finding my next "soul cat", but this experience has made it difficult to reach out to people for fear of facing another painful rejection too soon. I might come across all wrong during the phone interviews because of how nervous I'll be. Normally, conversation comes easy to me, but I'm just so scared to say the wrong things.
I've strongly considered a bengal, but I have heard they can be a little wild? I know savannas can be, too, but Porsche was incredibly sweet. I've definitely been trying to occupy my time searching, but I'm having a difficult time finding something that works for me... the right price range, distance, etc. I would feel absolutely dreadful if the cat I picked didn't work out for whatever reason, so I need to make the right choice because this is a life long commitment.