Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do if I’ve been bitten by an animal?
Why should I spay/neuter my animal?
Do I have to spay/neuter an animal I adopt from the shelter?
What if the animal I adopt is injured or becomes ill after adoption?
If You Decide to Let Your Cat Outside:
There are leash laws for cats just as they are in place for dogs.
What do I need to do to reclaim my cat or dog from the Shelter?
Why is there an adoption fee?
Are you a no-kill shelter?
If you find a stray how long do you hold it?
Do you pick up stray animals?
Are you funded by the state or other government entity?
Do you board animals?
How do I Protect Myself From Dog Bites?
Tips to prevent dog bites:
What is the difference between a “feral” cat and a “stray” cat?
Do You Have a Vet on Staff? Can I Bring You An Injured Animal?
I Found Kittens, Now What?
Any donation of heating pads and kitten feeding bottles is greatly appreciated.
- Seek medical attention if necessary. Call the Health Department to file a report. Call Animal Control at 620-672-5551 to contain the animal for rabies observation.
Why should I spay/neuter my animal?
- Simply put, there are just not enough homes! Currently 7,000,000 animals are euthanized in the United States each year because there are not enough homes for all the animals born.
- Additionally, spayed/neutered animals live longer, healthier, happier lives as they are at decreased risk of developing cancers associated with the reproductive organs. Spayed females no longer experience a heat cycle and neutered males are less likely to roam, mark territory, or get into fights.
Do I have to spay/neuter an animal I adopt from the shelter?
- YES! Not only is this our policy, but it is state law and all adopters must sign a legally binding agreement indicating their willingness to spay/neuter if not already done so. It is in a very rare situation an animal leaves our facility not spayed or neutered if that does happen we check up with the adopter until proof of the sterilization has occurred.
What if the animal I adopt is injured or becomes ill after adoption?
- The shelter will always take back any adopted animal regardless of circumstance, although there may be a waitlist. While no animal would be adopted out without disclosure of a known medical condition, all costs, veterinary and otherwise, are the responsibility of the adopter after the adoption is finalized.
If You Decide to Let Your Cat Outside:
There are leash laws for cats just as they are in place for dogs.
- Protect your kitty from other cats. Keep her on a leash or secured in a cage or other confined space where she can’t get out (and other cats can’t get in).
- Make sure an adult supervises your kitty’s outdoor time to ensure strays cannot come into contact with her.
- Take her to the veterinarian at least once every year for lifesaving vaccines, as well as parasite screening and treatment.
- Safety Concerns: A major consideration for cat lovers thinking about letting their cat venture outdoors is safety. In addition to the risks posed by fellow cats, other potential hazards that can seriously threaten your cat’s well-being — and even their life.
- Cars: Contrary to popular belief, cats do not have the innate instinct to avoid busy streets, and they frequently get hit by cars.
- Animal cruelty: Roaming cats may be at risk for animal cruelty. Sadly, some people have been known to shoot cats with BB guns or arrows, while some cats end up being trapped, abused and killed in the name of “sport” or “for fun.”
- Loose dogs and wild animals: We may think of our feisty felines as good hunters who are capable of taking care of themselves with sharp teeth and claws. Unfortunately, cats may be good hunters, but they also often wind up being hunted. Cats are commonly attacked by loose dogs and wild animals, such as coyotes, raccoons, foxes and more. Injuries from wild animal and stray dog attacks are very serious and often fatal.
- Toxins and poisons: Outside cats also face danger from coming into contact with toxins, such as antifreeze, that are often ingested because they have a pleasant taste. Cats may also end up accidentally exposed to rodent poisons when they hunt and eat rodents that have recently ingested poison bait.
- Trees: Trees can be a source of some danger for cats who climb to a place where they are afraid or unable to climb down. In some cases, they may be up in a tree for days until they become so severely dehydrated and weak that they fall and suffer severe, serious or fatal injuries.
- Environmental Concerns
- Killing birds and small animals: A cat’s prey drive is so strong that even well-fed cats may naturally enjoy hunting birds or other small animals. Although the impact made by one cat might not seem like a big deal, it is important to think about the total impact of all the cats who are allowed outside. Loose cats are estimated to kill hundreds of millions of birds each year, yet birds are believed to be only 20 percent of the wildlife stray cats prey. Birds are especially at risk around homes with feeders and birdbaths.
What do I need to do to reclaim my cat or dog from the Shelter?
- Since each situation is different, it is best to contact the shelter directly. There will/can be fees involved. Some proof of ownership is required. REMEMBER: It is best to visit our shelter during regular business hours to view the incoming animals and file a lost animal report as soon as you realize your companion is missing. Remember each year to have your pet’s microchip scanned to make sure it is still working. We also provide microchipping services, ask about it when picking your pet up!
Why is there an adoption fee?
- Every animal brought through our doors accumulates approximately $100-$200 in medical expenses. The adoption fee helps to cover costs and the additional costs associated with feeding, housing, grooming, and otherwise caring for all of the animals in our shelter.
Are you a no-kill shelter?
- We do not euthanize for space. Which means an animal needs to be adopted out before we can take another animal in. In some extreme cases an animal may be euthanized for health reasons or behavioral reasons.
If you find a stray how long do you hold it?
- We hold all stray animals for a minimum of three business days to try and find an owner. After that time, animals are evaluated to ensure that they are suitable for adoption.
Do you pick up stray animals?
- No, we are unable to offer this service. You must contact your local law enforcement agency.
Are you funded by the state or other government entity?
- We are funded $3000 from the City of Pratt and $1250 from Pratt County each month to help with expenses. This only covers 20% of our budget and we greatly appreciate all the donations we receive to help with the rest.
Do you board animals?
- No. We do not have the space to board privately owned pets. Check your telephone book under boarding kennels or ask your veterinarian, friends and family for recommendations.
How do I Protect Myself From Dog Bites?
Tips to prevent dog bites:
- Never approach a dog you don’t know or a dog that is alone without its owner, especially if the dog is behind a fence, tied with a rope or chain, or in a parked car.
- Never approach a dog that is eating, sleeping or guarding something. Dogs naturally guard their puppies, food, bones and toys.
- Never chase or tease dogs. Don’t poke, hit, pull, or pinch a dog.
- Always ask the owner’s permission before petting a dog.
- If the dog does attack, put something between yourself and the dog.
What is the difference between a “feral” cat and a “stray” cat?
- Feral cats are typically cats that were born outdoors and have never had any kind of human contact other than the occasional person who feeds the neighborhood cats. They tend to pick an area and form a sort of “colony” of cats. Feral cats over the age of 8-10 weeks old are not likely to become tame house cats. They were born and raised outdoors and are better left there. Even better if they are caught spay/neuter and returned to their colony location. If you remove the feral cats permanently from the location more ferals will just move in.
- Stray cats are classified as cats who have been abandoned, dumped on the street, or have become lost and never found their was home. These cats are more often than not, friendly cats that just need a family to take them in. These cats are mostly an adoptable pet. We charge a reasonable adoption fee to cover some of the costs we incur when we vet these adoptable cats. We only intake adoptable cats.
Do You Have a Vet on Staff? Can I Bring You An Injured Animal?
- We do not have a vet on staff. Please bring injured animals to your local vet, we can not provide services to injured animals. Most vets have emergency phone numbers for off hour emergencies.
I Found Kittens, Now What?
- Remember if you find neonate kittens (under 4 weeks) don’t pick them up. That’s a common mistake people make. Odds are the mother is around and can be gone up to 6 hours. Best chance for those kittens to survive in regard to health is to let the mom take care of them until they are ready to eat on their own.
- It is estimated that over 20 million kittens are born during this time. If you are interested in fostering bottle babies (2-3 weeks old and need to be fed every 2 – 3 hours) or kittens (older than 3 weeks) that are not quite ready to hit the adoption floor because their immune systems need to still grow big and strong send us an email at prattareahs@yahoo.com. We NEED fosters to care for the kittens in their homes because their immune systems are not ready to tackle shelter life.
Any donation of heating pads and kitten feeding bottles is greatly appreciated.