If the animal is sick or injured take it to a vet immediately. Rescue organizations do not have a veterinarian on staff.
Sisters is primarily a cat sanctuary. While we don’t turn a blind eye to any dog that comes across our path who needs help, we don’t house dogs. We just aren’t big enough and don’t have the manpower to care for them but rather rely on other dog groups to help us with the dogs we find as we have helped them with kitties they find.
Regardless of what your situation is you can be sure that most everyone else is in the same boat. Job loss is everywhere as is foreclosure. Whatever the situation that is causing you to have to give up your animals you can be sure that we and all the other rescue groups have heard it time and time again. If there is any way at all that you can keep your animals or even some of them or you can ask friends or family to help out until things get better that may be the only chance your animals have. All city and county shelters, and the SPCA, kill for space and they are so overcrowded that even the most adoptable animals don’t make it out alive. This includes kittens and puppies and their mothers. Please see the list below for contact information for the shelters in Sacramento County.
If you have exhausted all the possibilities PLEASE DO NOT JUST ABANDON THEM OR LEAVE THEM AND MOVE AWAY! If you think that someone will take them in you are wrong. They will be scared to death, will eventually starve to death or get hurt or killed by a car, another animal or a human being who doesn’t care. Even if you have to take them to the shelter at least they will be fed, although they will still be scared, and they will not have to suffer starvation and/or injury before they are put to sleep. This is the sad reality of it all.
That having been said, there is a website called www.PetFinder.com. It is a huge database of all rescues groups and you can search for them by city. Expand your search as far as you can and start dialing and emailing. Maybe there is some room out there somewhere.
You should also go to the following websites and register for free to put out a plea for help.
This email list subscriber base is comprised of Sacramento area animal rescuers, shelter workers and volunteers, veterinarians and animal lovers who seek to save the lives of our area’s dogs and cats. It is a big network and also has subscribers outside of the Sacramento area that may help.
This network is geared toward feral cats but there is a lot of information that may be helpful in many types of situations. It’s a big network.
You should carefully screen any responses you receive as anyone can join these websites and not everyone may have good intentions.
Also if the animal is a particular breed or a part of a breed you should search the web for that type of rescue. For example, you have a Russian Blue cat or a poodle mix breed you need to place or need help with, you should search the web for “Russian Blue rescue and “Poodle rescue.” Many breed rescues take mixed breeds.
Please be careful offering any animal for free at any time even on Craig’s list or anywhere else. There are people who are out there who take free animals and sell them to fighting dog groups for bait and also to labs for research. Any prudent loving pet owner should be willing to pay an adoption fee of at least $25.00. We also have an application you could have the prospective adopter fill out that would give you an idea of what type of people are adopting your animal. Contact us at sistersanimalsanctuary@frontiernet.net if you would like a copy.
If you have an issue with feral cats/kittens, the SSPCA now employs a woman by the name of Andrea Stretars who is the Feral Cat/Kitten coordinator. It is her job to help with feral cat/kitten issues. Her email address is astretars@sspca.org In addition this website http://www.sacferals.com has great resources and information regarding feral cats and kittens. You can also complete a form requesting help with trapping or other assistance you may need.
If you live in Elk Grove, contact Maureen McCann at Elk Grove Animal Control mmccann@elkgrovepd.org phone 687-3072.
Whether you decide to keep your kitty(ies) or not please be sure that they are spayed/neutered. As you now know it is almost impossible to find homes for the ones that are already here so it’s obvious that the more births we can prevent the fewer kitties will suffer the fate of those that are already in the shelters and on the streets. If you decide to keep your animals or help a stray or abandoned cat, there are many low cost spay/neuter services in and around Sacramento County. Please see the list below.
These are the saddest of times for everyone and it is worse for the animals. We hope we have provided you with some helpful information.