Animal Welfare Professionals

This really just hit me today. Let me know if anyone can relate. 

We've had a really slow adoption period lately but we're getting more applications than ever.  So what's going on?

In finding when I respond to people that they didn't think they would hear back from me at all, or not so soon, or they didn't know if they would be approved. So they hadn't talked to their partner yet, have a trip coming up, etc and are not ready to adopt. 

So I have so many people only 1/4 committed to adopting a cat that just applied to see if they could might make it through the barriers and then they would decide. 

This puts me with lots of applications but noone actually ready to come meet the cat. And we have so many cats waiting!

Is anyone else experiencing something like this?

We're a small foster based cat rescue so it may just look like a trend to us with such little data 

This really just hit me today. Let me know if anyone can relate. 

We've had a really slow adoption period lately but we're getting more applications than ever.  So what's going on?

In finding when I respond to people that they didn't think they would hear back from me at all, or not so soon, or they didn't know if they would be approved. So they hadn't talked to their partner yet, have a trip coming up, etc and are not ready to adopt. 

So I have so many people only 1/4 committed to adopting a cat that just applied to see if they could might make it through the barriers and then they would decide. 

This puts me with lots of applications but noone actually ready to come meet the cat. And we have so many cats waiting!

Is anyone else experiencing something like this?

We're a small foster based cat rescue so it may just look like a trend to us with such little data 

Hi,

Sounds like the Open Arms Challenge came about just in time!  We used to have a similar issue until we decided to eliminate the "adoption application" altogether.   We also recently eliminated the need for an appointment.  If someone finds a pet they are interested in, we then go over our "adoption agreement".  It eliminated the fear that some people have of being approved, but we still have a screening process in place.

This really just hit me today. Let me know if anyone can relate. 

We've had a really slow adoption period lately but we're getting more applications than ever.  So what's going on?

In finding when I respond to people that they didn't think they would hear back from me at all, or not so soon, or they didn't know if they would be approved. So they hadn't talked to their partner yet, have a trip coming up, etc and are not ready to adopt. 

So I have so many people only 1/4 committed to adopting a cat that just applied to see if they could might make it through the barriers and then they would decide. 

This puts me with lots of applications but noone actually ready to come meet the cat. And we have so many cats waiting!

Is anyone else experiencing something like this?

We're a small foster based cat rescue so it may just look like a trend to us with such little data 

We are a small foster-based organization so we definitely need to have appointments as our fosters are not always home or available.

I have cut down on the adoption application but would not throw it out altogether. I use the application as an educational tool as well and explain declawing, the dangers of cats being outdoors, etc in the application. I work a full time job so this saves me a lot of time.

Hi,

Sounds like the Open Arms Challenge came about just in time!  We used to have a similar issue until we decided to eliminate the "adoption application" altogether.   We also recently eliminated the need for an appointment.  If someone finds a pet they are interested in, we then go over our "adoption agreement".  It eliminated the fear that some people have of being approved, but we still have a screening process in place.

This really just hit me today. Let me know if anyone can relate. 

We've had a really slow adoption period lately but we're getting more applications than ever.  So what's going on?

In finding when I respond to people that they didn't think they would hear back from me at all, or not so soon, or they didn't know if they would be approved. So they hadn't talked to their partner yet, have a trip coming up, etc and are not ready to adopt. 

So I have so many people only 1/4 committed to adopting a cat that just applied to see if they could might make it through the barriers and then they would decide. 

This puts me with lots of applications but noone actually ready to come meet the cat. And we have so many cats waiting!

Is anyone else experiencing something like this?

We're a small foster based cat rescue so it may just look like a trend to us with such little data 

Hi! Heather from PAW in Silver Spring, MD. We are thinking of revising our application- yours sound interesting- would you be willing to share it? Thx!

We are a small foster-based organization so we definitely need to have appointments as our fosters are not always home or available.

I have cut down on the adoption application but would not throw it out altogether. I use the application as an educational tool as well and explain declawing, the dangers of cats being outdoors, etc in the application. I work a full time job so this saves me a lot of time.

Hi,

Sounds like the Open Arms Challenge came about just in time!  We used to have a similar issue until we decided to eliminate the "adoption application" altogether.   We also recently eliminated the need for an appointment.  If someone finds a pet they are interested in, we then go over our "adoption agreement".  It eliminated the fear that some people have of being approved, but we still have a screening process in place.

This really just hit me today. Let me know if anyone can relate. 

We've had a really slow adoption period lately but we're getting more applications than ever.  So what's going on?

In finding when I respond to people that they didn't think they would hear back from me at all, or not so soon, or they didn't know if they would be approved. So they hadn't talked to their partner yet, have a trip coming up, etc and are not ready to adopt. 

So I have so many people only 1/4 committed to adopting a cat that just applied to see if they could might make it through the barriers and then they would decide. 

This puts me with lots of applications but noone actually ready to come meet the cat. And we have so many cats waiting!

Is anyone else experiencing something like this?

We're a small foster based cat rescue so it may just look like a trend to us with such little data 

This really just hit me today. Let me know if anyone can relate. 

We've had a really slow adoption period lately but we're getting more applications than ever.  So what's going on?

In finding when I respond to people that they didn't think they would hear back from me at all, or not so soon, or they didn't know if they would be approved. So they hadn't talked to their partner yet, have a trip coming up, etc and are not ready to adopt. 

So I have so many people only 1/4 committed to adopting a cat that just applied to see if they could might make it through the barriers and then they would decide. 

This puts me with lots of applications but noone actually ready to come meet the cat. And we have so many cats waiting!

Is anyone else experiencing something like this?

We're a small foster based cat rescue so it may just look like a trend to us with such little data 

This really just hit me today. Let me know if anyone can relate. 

We've had a really slow adoption period lately but we're getting more applications than ever.  So what's going on?

In finding when I respond to people that they didn't think they would hear back from me at all, or not so soon, or they didn't know if they would be approved. So they hadn't talked to their partner yet, have a trip coming up, etc and are not ready to adopt. 

So I have so many people only 1/4 committed to adopting a cat that just applied to see if they could might make it through the barriers and then they would decide. 

This puts me with lots of applications but noone actually ready to come meet the cat. And we have so many cats waiting!

Is anyone else experiencing something like this?

We're a small foster based cat rescue so it may just look like a trend to us with such little data 

This is interesting! It sounds like people are applying thinking there is a high probability they won't get approved, and that's not the case! I am wondering if maybe adding something to your application/website to signify that items filled out are considered on a case-by-case basis might help (ex: Every application is considered/Please expect a response from us "x time frame" to show that you will get back to them)? This could potentially alert the applicant that things they think would "disqualify" them, may not! Additionally, you can maybe target this in an FAQ section of your adoptions page/app, like "how long should I expect to hear back?" or "How can I qualify?" and there you can highlight the importance of coming to meet the kitty! I hope this all makes sense! 

Best of luck, and thank you for all that you do!

This really just hit me today. Let me know if anyone can relate. 

We've had a really slow adoption period lately but we're getting more applications than ever.  So what's going on?

In finding when I respond to people that they didn't think they would hear back from me at all, or not so soon, or they didn't know if they would be approved. So they hadn't talked to their partner yet, have a trip coming up, etc and are not ready to adopt. 

So I have so many people only 1/4 committed to adopting a cat that just applied to see if they could might make it through the barriers and then they would decide. 

This puts me with lots of applications but noone actually ready to come meet the cat. And we have so many cats waiting!

Is anyone else experiencing something like this?

We're a small foster based cat rescue so it may just look like a trend to us with such little data 

Thank you for the feedback!

Those ideas are great and I will think about working them in!

I'm also getting a lot of people just kind of browsing, which I get in a shelter environment, but in a foster-based rescue this is really taking its toll on my stress levels. We put a lot of time into the communication, coordination and being available for meet and greets and the lack of commitment to actually wanting to bring a cat home is just so draining. 

I have seen other rescues put "serious applicants only" but I doubt that helps. 

Do you have any suggestions? Maybe adding the "we will get back to you within 48 hours to set up a meet and greet" would work to clue people in that it is commitment to meeting the cat?

This is interesting! It sounds like people are applying thinking there is a high probability they won't get approved, and that's not the case! I am wondering if maybe adding something to your application/website to signify that items filled out are considered on a case-by-case basis might help (ex: Every application is considered/Please expect a response from us "x time frame" to show that you will get back to them)? This could potentially alert the applicant that things they think would "disqualify" them, may not! Additionally, you can maybe target this in an FAQ section of your adoptions page/app, like "how long should I expect to hear back?" or "How can I qualify?" and there you can highlight the importance of coming to meet the kitty! I hope this all makes sense! 

Best of luck, and thank you for all that you do!

This really just hit me today. Let me know if anyone can relate. 

We've had a really slow adoption period lately but we're getting more applications than ever.  So what's going on?

In finding when I respond to people that they didn't think they would hear back from me at all, or not so soon, or they didn't know if they would be approved. So they hadn't talked to their partner yet, have a trip coming up, etc and are not ready to adopt. 

So I have so many people only 1/4 committed to adopting a cat that just applied to see if they could might make it through the barriers and then they would decide. 

This puts me with lots of applications but noone actually ready to come meet the cat. And we have so many cats waiting!

Is anyone else experiencing something like this?

We're a small foster based cat rescue so it may just look like a trend to us with such little data 

This really just hit me today. Let me know if anyone can relate. 

We've had a really slow adoption period lately but we're getting more applications than ever.  So what's going on?

In finding when I respond to people that they didn't think they would hear back from me at all, or not so soon, or they didn't know if they would be approved. So they hadn't talked to their partner yet, have a trip coming up, etc and are not ready to adopt. 

So I have so many people only 1/4 committed to adopting a cat that just applied to see if they could might make it through the barriers and then they would decide. 

This puts me with lots of applications but noone actually ready to come meet the cat. And we have so many cats waiting!

Is anyone else experiencing something like this?

We're a small foster based cat rescue so it may just look like a trend to us with such little data