Ready, Set, Go…..
A surrender preparedness program for cats
Use a “Ready, Set, Go“ questionnaire to assess how ready the cat is for adoption when receiving calls to schedule surrender appointments. Front Office staff would follow the questions on the form to check if the cat is ready for adoption. Determine what steps would need to be taken to get the cat ready for adoption from the shelter.
How ready is the cat for adoption?
a. Age
b. Vaccine History
c. Vet Records or Brief Health History (Get vet info if possible call vet to have records sent.)
d. Spayed or Neutered
e. Lumps or Bumps?
f. Skin Lesions?
g. Other cats in the home?
If the cat is not ready for adoption, a Ready, Set, Go… appointment should be scheduled. It will be important to stress that participation in the program will increase the likelihood of the cat being placed up for adoption without getting sick and therefore decrease the likelihood of euthanasia.
h. At least one shelter has charged a small fee for Ready, Set, Go… appointments.
i. Ready, Set, Go… appointments should be recorded on a Ready, Set ,Go scheduler.
j. Surgical Waiver Forms and Promise to Reclaim Contract should be signed by owner at drop off time if the animal is being left at the shelter for spay / neuter.
k. Pick-up should be scheduled on the afternoon of the same day
l. Discharge Instructions with return for adoption date / time should be scheduled and confirmed with the owner or fosterer at the time of pick-up.
Ready, Set, Go… appointments consist of:
a. Spay / Neuter Surgery
b. Vaccination
c. Felv/FIV Testing
d. Flea control
e. Review of vet records
f. Urinalysis if indicated
g. Microchipping
h. Dewormer
i. Fungal Culture Sampling
Establish a core of Ready, Set, Go… foster parents who would be on call.
j. A list of Ready, Set, Go foster homes with contact info and current cats in foster should be kept.
k. If a cat is abandoned at the Ready, Set , Go… appointment or
l. If the owner is unwilling or unable to participate in Ready, Set, Go… then cats who would benefit from Ready, Set, Go… can go through the process in foster care.
m. Admitting or AMS staff could call the foster homes on the list in the binder if a Ready, Set, Go… program cat was unexpectedly surrendered or abandoned.
n. The foster coordinator would coordinate foster care for program cats who have scheduled arrivals.
Ideally, cats should return to home or foster care for at least one week before returning for adoption.
Average commitment for foster care is ____ days to ____ weeks.
This material generously provided by UC Davis Koret Medicine Program