Houston SPCA869-SPCA |
Spay-Neuter Assistance Program863-0010 |
Homeless Pet Placement League862-7387 |
Adopt-A-Cat523-0918 |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accepts stray (unowned) cats | Yes, for spay/neuter surgery | Requires that the person finding the animal foster the animal(s) safely and humanely in their own home or find an alternative foster. | ||
| Accepts feral (unowned, afraid of human contact) cats | Yes, for spay/neuter surgery | A rescued cat can enter the HPPL foster and adoption program once the cat has been tamed and socialized by the rescuer and considered adoptable by HPPL. A cat is not qualified to be put into the HPPL program until it is socialized. | ||
| Accepts stray (unowned) kittens | Yes, for spay/neuter surgery (minimum weight 3 lbs.) | |||
| Accepts feral (unowned, afraid of human contact) kittens | Yes, for spay/neuter surgery (minimum weight 3 lbs.) | Yes, only if they are under 8 weeks of age. | ||
| Accepts unweaned stray kittens | Yes, for spay/neuter surgery | See above (Also, kittens cannot be accepted into the program or put up for adoption until they are at least 8 weeks of age. That is when they are old enough to be weaned and spayed/neutered and vaccinated - except for rabies which is at 4 mos. of age). | ||
| Accepts unweaned feral kittens | ||||
| Provides bottle feeding for unweaned kittens | Typically, no, unless it is a special case in a foster home. | See above (Also, HPPL may assist with instructions on bottle feeding if a knowledgable and experienced bottle feeder is available at adoption sites or at the office). | Yes, space permitting | |
| Accepts sick or injured cats who are FIV or FelV negative | If an animal is sick or injured but can otherwise be rehabilitated, it will be treated medically by HPPL and cared for in a foster home and placed for adoption when adequately recovered or healed. | |||
| Almost always puts sick or injured cats to sleep | Yes. Possibly placed with foster. Depends on availability of volunteer foster home. | Generally, we do not euthanize animals | An animal is euthanized if after a complete medical examination, the determination is made by the veterinarian on duty that it is the kindest thing to do for the animal. | |
| Accepts FIV or FelV positive cats | Yes, for spay/neuter surgery | HPPL tests all incoming adult cats for FeLk and selected cats and kittens for FIV and FeLk. However, the rescuer/foster has the option of testing the cat at their own cost with their own veterinarian and submitting the official veterinary documentation indicating negative test results as proof of testing in lieu of HPPL performing the tests. | ||
| Almost always puts FIV or FelV positive cats to sleep | If requested by the guardian | Any cat that or kitten that tests positive for FeLk or FIV will be euthanized. | Not applicable - does not accept FIV or FelV positive cats | |
| Almost always puts feral (afraid of human contact, probably only able to be tamed up to a point and with exceptional individual attedntion) cats to sleep | Not applicable - a cat is not qualified to be put into the HPPL program until it is socialized. | Not applicable - does not accept feral cats | ||
| Loans out humane traps (i.e. Hav-a-Heart, Tomahawk) | Yes - for cats and dogs. | Yes, when available | ||
| Requires a deposit for loan of humane traps | Yes. $50.00 deposit for 5 day trap loan. Deposit returned if brought back within time limit. $5.00 charge per day for traps borrowed past 5 days. | Yes, $50 refundable upon return of the trap undamaged and in good working order. | ||
| Loans out more than one trap to a person at a time | No, there is only one loaner trap available at this time. | |||
| Helps individuals with trapping feral cats or kittens | No, we do not have the staffing or volunteer level to do so. | Depends on definition of help | HPPL can provide instructions and guidance on properly trapping a feral cat, but not direct assistance. | Depends on availability of volunteers |
| Involved in the management of any feral colonies | Only by providing spay/neuter and vaccination services | |||
| Places cats in foster homes while waiting for adoption | Yes. Depending on number of foster homes available, but typically more animals come in than we have foster homes available. Because of large number of admissions, we are always forced to euthanize more than are fostered. | Not applicable - not an adoption agency | ||
| Places its kittens in foster homes while waiting for adoption | Not an adoption agency | |||
| Forced to euthanize unadopted cats (even those who are not sick, injured, positive for disease, or feral) as an unfortunate consequence of pet overpopulation and owner irresponsibility | Not an adoption agency | No - See above | ||
| Offers low-cost or free spay/neuter to low-income (govt. assistance, food stamps, etc.) pet owners | Offer free services to qualified families | Yes, free and reduced cost spays and neuters are provided to the general public on a limited basis as funds are available. In addition, all pet owners are referred to the Fund for Animals for low cost (and free for public assistance recipients) spays and neuters. | ||
| Offers low-cost spay/neuter to any pet owners | All pet owners are referred to the Fund for Animals for low cost spays and neuters. | |||
| Willing to spay and neuter feral cats and older kittens who are brought to the clinic in traps | Only if human clients meet financial criteria | Always - no appointment required for a cat in a trap | Feral cats and older kittens in traps can be spayed and neutered by the Spay-Neuter Assistance Program | Affiliated vets will spay/neuter but person needs to pay fees and keep responsibility for cats - Adopt-A-Cat cannot absorb |
| Offer low-cost vaccinations to low-income pet owners | Free, but as above, must qualify by receiving assistance through one or more public programs | Free rabies vaccinations; low cost for other vaccinations | All of the general public is referred to the Spay-Neuter Assistance Program for low cost vaccinations. | |
| Offer low-cost vaccinations to any pet owners | ||||
| Minimum age at which your organization will spay or neuter a kitten | For the public, 3 months of age | Usually at 2 months, but weight of 2 lbs. is the determining factor | ||
| Minimum weight to spay or neuter a kitten | ||||
| Provide any special services which might be of interest to people who are trying to help a stray or feral cat or kitten | Monthly spay/neuter specials |
Other humane societies and agencies which can provide services include the Houston Humane Society at (713) 433-6421, Special Pals at (281) 579-PETS, and the City of Houston Bureau of Animal Regulation and Care (BARC) at (713) 547-9410. BARC is Houston's Animal Control, and while being a major killer of unwanted animals, is actually staffed by a group of caring people who will be thrilled to adopt out an animal to you for $25 (you must get the animal FelV and FIV tested, and possibly euthanized if it tests positive, yourself) or loan you a trap at no charge to trap a feral cat.
TRAPPING A FERAL CAT