on the other paw..... as someone who lived/worked at a sanctuary, let me explain something about the reasons places ask for notice before people are allowed to visit.
a real sanctuary will NEVER turn anyone with a legitimate reason to reason to visit down. HOWEVER, in most cases, this is also their home. it is also the CATS' home--it's not a shelter where the aimals are accustomed to constant visitors. depending on how many peple actually live on-site, if they work outside the home in addition to taking care of the animals, etc., being available for visitors at any time is just not reasonable. there are vet trips to make, scheduled tasks to carry out, ALWAYS emergencies--and the people need times for themselves, as well. so while having to make an appointment to see a surrendered cat COULD be a sign of a problem, it could also be very good time management and evidence of a group that's taking care of their own needs--something that often doesn't happen, and that DOES result in becoming overwhelmed and burnt out. in this situation, it's really hard to know if this woman really had gotten cats from rude ranch or was just saying she had.... it adds another question, tho, to our list of things to ask any sanctuary: do you ever release your cats to other rescues/sanctuaries? if you charge a monthly maintenance fee (which most places do NOT; their assumption is that they are taking on the forever care of the cats who come through their doors) and the original owners stop paying that fee, what happens to the cat? if you're paying a monthly maintenance fee, do you get monthly or at least quarterly photos and updates on the cat? i know that some places do not do that; that once you surrender the cat, you give up all parental rights--i guess i can see both sides of that, but would prefer it to be on a case-to-case basis, because sometimes a cat is surrendered to a sanctuary for reasons beyond their control, and they really do care tremendously for the cat and it's not just a dumping situation..... you really CANNOT believe what you see on the net--some really notoriously bad places have incredible websites, and some incredible places either have no websites at all, or just don't take the time away from the animals to put into slick presentations.... perhaps a task force to create a list of questions to ask/things to look for, and people who are willing to go visit the sanctuaries/rescues in their own geographical areas. a great source of information, too, are local veterinarians and rescue groups--people in the area will often know far more about the actual goings on than outsiders. BUT one report is never enough, as it is far too easy for one group to trash another, and unfortunately, that happens constantly in rescue--instead of remembering that we're supposedly in this for the animals, too often it becomes about the egos of the people involved. when you're around long enough, you learn whom to listen to and whom to disregard--but it's almost impossible to know that coming into a situation from outside. MC, the typically unbiased On 2/5/07, tamara stickler <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Yes, Rude Ranch does LOOK like a great place...BUT: I attempted to place a cat at Rude Ranch a few years back, committing to the monthly support fee needed to surrender. My first choice for the felv + stray I had rescued was an actual home, not an institution, so when a woman called and offered to give this cat a HOME, I jumped at the chance without visiting her place first (she came highly recommended by various rescues..), so I turned the spot that they had "made room for" down to place with this individual instead. When I got to her place, she, while very well intentioned, was an animal horder. She agreed to take fosters in from various organizations, (Grey Hound Rescue...Rude Ranch...etc..), where she cared for them on her farm, with her husband, "without any monetary support" from these rescues that depended on her (so she said). The garage where she was housing her felv+ cats (she had she had said at the time 5-by the time I got mine there, there were 10) was an absolutely FILTHY...dirt and hair everywhere...exposed insulation & beamwork, food bowls that looked as if they hadn't been washed in months...urine soaked everything..the smell was beyond deplorable....and it was the dead of WINTER. The "great levels" the cats had to climb on were rusty metal shelving. The floor was covered in plywood and while there were 3 space heaters in the garage, and it did have garage door windows...but it was aweful. As I told her I had turned down Rude Ranch even tho they had "just made a space for (Simms)" she interrupted..."Oh, that must be why I got this one from them the other day (pointing to a white persuain laying on a ratty blanket on one of the rusty shelves)." I had asked her if she received financial help for the cats they dumped on her, she didn't...and was a bit ticked to learn that they charge monthly for care...."I wonder if they are still charging for the ones they've brought me...or perhaps that's why I have them now, their people stopped paying???" I don't have intimate knowledge of the workings or Rude Ranch...but,,,the fact that if you are coming to visit they insist that you phone and schedule your visit a week before-hand (what they told me when I was considering using them for Simms) makes me wonder if they have to FIND the cat you surrendered before you come back to visit ????) I've had TOO many bad run-ins with WONDERFUL organizations to believe everything I see on tv or read in the paper. I'm sure they are all trying their best, but.... Rude Ranch may be wonderful...but I have to honestly wonder. fyi: I eventually placed Simms with another person in a REAL home environment.. . And don't get me wrong about her...she was/is trying her best...but dear God..you've GOT to know when to say when...Neither her or her husband could tell me how many cats and dogs they had housed on the property..."prop. just over a hundred". I have to wonder at rescue organizations that over-burdened themselves, are over-burdening other volunteers....to make themselves look good? T Nina <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Leah, Thank you for the link to Rude Ranch. What a great place. Quite the inspiration. Nina Wolf, Leah R. wrote: > Phaewryn, > > The web address is http://www.ruderanch.org. Bob and Kathy Rude run > quite a place. Some of their cats wouldn't last a second at a > publicly-funded shelter due to medical diagnoses such as felv+ or > congenital or other disabilities. Bob and Kathy live at the "home" > with all of their furry children. > > > Leah > ----- Original Message ----- From: "[EMAIL PROTECTED]" > To: > Sent: Friday, February 02, 2007 9:22 PM > Subject: Re: Bandit is NEGATIVE--Animal Planet (rude ranch) > > >> does rude animal ranch have a website? >> >> Phaewryn >> >> http://ucat.us >> Adopt a New England FIV+ cat: >> http://ucat.us/FIVadopt.html >> Special Needs Cat Links (and feline info library): >> http://ucat.us/domesticcatlinks.html >> Declawing Creates SUFFERING, Please don't declaw! >> http://www.pawproject.com/kona.html > > > > ________________________________ Cheap Talk? Check out Yahoo! Messenger's low PC-to-Phone call rates.
-- Spay & Neuter Your Neighbors! Maybe That'll Make The Difference.... MaryChristine AIM / YAHOO: TenHouseCats MSN: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ICQ: 289856892
