I would like to discuss our adoption process in greater detail. Everyone that adopts from us has to fill out a pre-adopt and be approved. We do check references and vet information, as well as check with your landlord (if you are a renter) for approval to have an animal. We try to be very thorough so that the animal that is being adopted from us is going into a good home, will be taken care of and will not have to be given up because the landlord didn’t give approval for a pet.
Recently, we had a person wanting to adopt from us and set up an appointment to see our cats. They had just gotten a kitten but it was scratching them up and she wanted something a little older. The decision was made that they wanted two cats so the adoption process began. Once the pre-adopt was filled out, we started doing the homework at our end.
The references all checked out and the final phase was approval from the landlord. After talking to the landlord, they didn’t really want any pets in their rental property but agreed to allow a cat. The landlord called me and said one cat was acceptable, which she believed at that time was two-years old and was declawed.
I asked her about the second cat that was on the pre-adopt and she was shocked and said ‘no only one cat.’ I explained to her the cat wasn’t even a year old and was not declawed because we do not do that. That raised a lot of questions for both of us.
First off the people had already gotten a kitten without approval, which was definitely wrong and from there the whole situation snowballed out of control. The decision between the landlord and I was the whole adoption process at this time was not going to happen .
If you take nothing else away from this story I hope everyone understands that honesty is the best policy. We are dealing with animals that have no voice and they rely on us to make the best possible decisions for them, to keep them out of harm’s way and to find them permanent loving homes.
This is not something we at The Ark take lightly. If you rent it is not your decision to just do what you want. Your landlord has policies and rules that you must follow. By bringing an animal into a rental property without permission from the landlord you are putting that animal’s welfare in jeopardy. What if the landlord finds out and makes you get rid of the animal? Did you really do that pet any justice? Once again that pet will find itself homeless all because you put your needs and wants first.
When we place an animal we want to place it for life. We take our commitment to each and every animal that passes through our doors very seriously. While I know that many people want animals, they need to stop and think about their living situation and whether or not they can accommodate that animal for life. Adopting an animal is not a temporary thing. Animals are amazing creatures and they deserve nothing but the best and that means a forever home and humans who are committed to being there for them for life.
There will be an Italian dinner at The Elks on Saturday, Sept. 7 from 4-7 p.m. There will be a dessert sale and silent auction for more information please call Lorraine at 532-7387, Thank you for your continued support and as always thank you for reading our column.
The Ark Animal Sanctuary is located on 101 Old Woodstock Road. To contact Lorraine Monfils call 532-7387 or check out their Facebook page.
