The Feline Adoption and Rescue Society

Every Cat Counts



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Feline Adoption & Rescue Society
P.O. Box 2163
Natick, MA 01760
(508)838-7956
info@felineadoptions.org

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Kitten

About Us

The Feline Adoption & Rescue Society (FARS) is a 501(c) 3 private, non-profit charity that was created to help homeless cats. We opened our first shelter inside the Cambridge PetSmart in September 2008. In addition to sheltering and adopting cats from this location, we also support a network of foster homes where our cats are cared for until they are ready for adoption.

FARS is a "No-Kill" organization

The Feline Adoption & Rescue Society operates under a "No Kill" philosophy. Our organizational bylaws dictate that the Feline Adoption & Rescue Society is dedicated to a “No Kill” philosophy in all of its programs. No healthy cat in the Society's shelter will ever be killed because of lack of space or length of stay. Euthanasia is only used as a last resort, after full consultation with and the recommendation of a licensed veterinarian, to alleviate untreatable suffering of a cat or in the case of a cat that suffers from an untreatable disease that makes the animal a potentially deadly threat to other animals or humans.

In addition to being a “No Kill” organization, we are also a “limited admission” organization. This means that we only admit into our care cats and kittens that we believe we have the resources to help. In embracing a “No Kill” philosophy we strive to work co-operatively with other animal welfare organizations in an effort to create “No Kill Communities” – communities in which all cats are safe and no cat suffers because of a lack of resources.

How is FARS funded?

FARS is funded by individual donations and grants. We are dependent on the generosity of our donors in order to give our cats the high quality care we believe they deserve. We are grateful for gifts of any amount. FARS also accepts “in kind” donations; items that are on our “wish list” include new (un-used) cat toys and scratching pads/posts, rolls of paper towels and gift cards (Staples, Wal-Mart, Stop & Shop, etc.).

Cats CANNOT be surrendered to FARS at the PetSmart shelter

Our agreement with PetSmart requires that each cat that we bring into the adoption center has met certain vaccination and medical testing requirements. Therefore, we must review the medical history of any cat before the cat is brought into the shelter. The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources which oversees shelters and rescue groups, requires that each cat that comes into the adoption center be quarantined for 48 hours prior to entering the Adoption Center; therefore, we must ensure that we have space available in our quarantine room as well as a cage available in the Adoption Center before we can admit new animals. FARS is a “limited admission” organization. This means that we only admit into our care cats and kittens that we believe we have the resources to help. FARS often works on special projects to help cats in communities or situations where there is a great need. We have in some case reserved space in our shelter for cats coming in from these projects or situation.

By following these guidelines we ensure that each cat that we admit gets the best possible care while he or she is in the custody of FARS.

Surrendering a cat to FARS

If you wish to surrender a cat to FARS, please contact us by e-mail at: info@felineadoptions.org. Please include the following information:

Your name, address and phone number
If it is not your cat, the cat owner’s name, address, phone number and e-mail address
Name of the cat
Is this an owned cat, stray cat or feral cat
Why the owner can no longer keep the cat
Description of the cat’s temperament (e.g., friendly, shy, bites, etc.)
Approximate age of cat
Where the cat came from (e.g., shelter, trapped the cat, stray, friend, etc.)
How long you’ve had the cat;
Description of the cat (e.g., color, hair length, breed, sex, etc.)
Is the cat spayed/neutered?
Has the cat been to a veterinarian and if so, date of last visit
What is your surrender deadline (i.e., the last possible date you can keep the cat)
Are there any supportive services that would help you keep the cat in your home?

When we receive your e-mail with this information we will contact you to discuss whether the cat you wish to surrender is one that is a good match for our programs. If so, we will make arrangement with you to bring the cat into one of our shelters. If we do not have space available in the shelter, at the time of your request, we will put you on a waiting list and contact you when we have space available.

Please note that each cat that FARS accepts MUST be tested for Feline Leukemia Virus and FIV immediately prior to intake. We do not currently have the resources to provide services for cats that test positive for one of these diseases. One of our staff members can advise you on where to take the cat to get him/her tested.

If FARS is unable to admit the cat you wish to surrender, we can make suggestions on other agencies that you can contact for assistance.

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