Animal Welfare Professionals

Do you have protocols in place for how much you as a rescue or shelter help adopters ( if you do) with bills for medical issues that appear after adoption?

When our cats are on adoption trial, we cover any medical issues that may arise. We don't currently have a policy in place for adoptions that are finalized but this came up recently for us.

One of our recent hoarding house cats was adopted after passing a 2 week quarantine and completing all his preventatives with us, and then a couple days after adoption, he crashed with the adopter and presented with some life-threatening issues requiring hospitalization. When he was in our care, he did not present with any medical issues, but I understand the frustration that the adopter is feeling having just brought home a new pet and having this huge medical bill and they are asking for help with payment. 

For our rescue, this is complicated because the adopter lives too far away for him to have taken him to our vet and for us to assist with the diagnostics and so we already know that certain tests were run unnecessarily and repeated what we had already done as preventative care. For this case, we agreed to start a fundraiser on social media letting people know that we don't do this often, but we want to help out this adopter. 

What do you all do in this kind of a situation? I feel like it's struggle between what we are technically responsible for and maintaining a good image and reputation in the community.

#AdoptionsandAdoptionPrograms
#LawsandPublicPolicy
#Medicine,SurgeryandSterilization

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Amanda Gray
Truly All Cats Trapping and Rescue
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We also had a sudden illness in a newly-adopted kitten that had been fine in his foster home. We refunded the $100 adoption fee and profusely praised the adopter for following through on medical care. 

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Donna Miller
Happy Stripes, cat rescue in Ohio
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Man, this is a tough one.  I think a fundraiser could be part of the protocal. Protocols are hard in rescue because every case is different. Much of it depends on how much the adopter wants to work with you. So many times people just want to know they have you as a partner and they aren't in this alone. it seems if you offer generously the adopter calms down and is more flexible and ready to trust you.

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Donna Brown
Garden City Community Cats Project
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Hey there Amanda have you ever heard of Animals? They are a non-kill cat shelter in Missoula Montana. They have several unique programs for all types of cats. They even provide meds for sick cats for life. Check out their website. Hope it helps you in some way.

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Anthony Calonico
dental tech mngr
Ottawa
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I know how this feels! We had a couple cats that came up with FIP not long after adoption. We refunded all the adoption fees and tried to help them by getting them in contact of how to help them. 
The recent case the were adopted less then a month and 2 kitties I did by the medicine myself out of my own money to try to help save them. Unfortunately they both passed and she returned the extra medicine for me to get a refund. 

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Jessica D.
Director
Furry Paws Foster Inn
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The shelter I used to work for had a form that every adopter signed stating that the shelter was disclosing the medical and behavioral information to the best of our knowledge but that the adopter understood that the animal may have underlying conditions that we could not have known about.

We only had a couple of instances where an adopted animal had an expensive medical issue right after adoption. In those cases, we helped the adopter fundraise and were sometimes able to negotiate lower care costs with one of our regular vets. We also thanked them profusely and praised them on our social media for being willing to get their newly adopted animal the help they needed. 

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Marilyn Wheaton
Client Services
AnimalsFirst
Leesburg VA
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For basic things, such as upper respiratory or worms, we will cover the costs if within the first two weeks. We may also help with other medical costs in that time period but offer to take the animal back. When people adopt, they are taking on the responsibility of unexpected medical issues and I summarize that as we go over the adoption contract.

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Kate Williams
Manager
Animal Welfare Friends
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We always tell adopters if the cat or kitten is sick within the first two weeks after adoption they can take them to one of our vets and we will cover the cost. Usually it's a visit or two and then the adopters covers the ongoing cost but we have had times where medical issues that we treated during the foster period resurfaced once the cat or kitten was adopted. If there are big expenses involved which has happened a couple of times we will pay part of the bill. We do try to stress and it states on our contract that they are agreeing to be responsible for any medical costs that should occur from adoption forward. 
We usually offer to help with any bigger expenses to be kind and for our reputation within the community.

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Karen Hunter
Foster parent and board member
Wells Calley Cat Rescue
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Like many of the other responses here, we will (on occasion) refund the adoption fee, but this is what they must sign as part of the adoption contract:

I hereby acknowledge receiving from Citizens for Animal Protection (CAP), the animal described herein and therefore promise and agree to provide for the necessary food, water, shelter, identification and veterinary care. CAP has the right to investigate the new home and to remove the animal if the home is unsuitable. If at any time I can no longer care for or keep this animal, I agree to return it to CAP.

I understand that the information CAP has regarding the animal, was provided by the individual who surrendered the animal. I agree to hold CAP harmless should this animal cause any bodily, injury, personal or public damage while in my possession. I agree to assume full responsibility for said animal's actions, habits, mannerisms, health and care and any possible damage done by said animal.

All animals placed in CAP's adoption program are evaluated for health and temperament. Because the animals in the shelter are often stray, with no known medical history, it is possible that some may not show signs of illness until several weeks after adoption.  I have read and completely understand the animal health record and all of the inoculations, medication and treatments given to the animal I am adopting. I also understand that I am responsible for any and all medical costs incurred after adopting the above said animal and WILL NOT BE REIMBURSED BY CITIZENS FOR ANIMAL PROTECTION for any of these costs.

I agree to read the additional care information provided at the time of adoption and contact CAP if I have any questions.

I agree to make an appointment with a veterinarian at a full-service clinic within 72 hours of picking up the pet. I understand that this examination is free if I use a veterinarian on the list given to me.

The donation given by the undersigned is a gift; therefore, no refund will be made under any circumstances. There will be a 2-week provisional health or temperament exchange for another animal.

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Sandi Mercado
Shelter or rescue director
Citizens for Animal Protection
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