AlStrays ‘Partners’ Re-homing Form
Alstrays Re-homing Program:
AlStrays, working with an established charity in Germany, runs a re-homing program for tame, abandoned and strays cats, and a transport service to get them to their adoptants there. We work with a number of ‘partner’ animal sanctuaries and private individuals across the Almeria region, but we are not ourselves a rescue centre. Please note we are NOT a rescue facility, and have no capability to take in and rescue cats. Our objective is to help existing rescue centres by re-homing and transporting their cats, allowing them to take in and hep more cats.
All the homes are professionally vetted and a comprehensive, legal contract is signed for each adoption. Adoptants pay for the cat as compensation for vet bills and other costs (not as profit), and in return they have the ongoing backup of Katzenherzen in Germany to deal with any problems, and the knowledge that they are taking into their homes a clean, healthy, ‘fully prepared’ cat.
From the many photos on this blog, it is obvious that our cats are going fantastic to ‘parents’, who not only love them but send feedback and photos of their progress. Why do they want them? The answer is simple; in Germany there are less strays and they are mostly feral. Here in Spain, we have beautiful strays of all colours and mixes, and they mostly have a special, slimline, more feline look than the more northern European cat. They want our beautiful, people friendly cats.
All cats of all ages have a chance, even those that are disabled in some way or have tested positive for FiV or FeLV. Of course the almost pure breeds and very photogenic ones are normally easier to home, but cheeky, sweet and battered character cat also works. Great photos are essential as all the cats are initially marketed online. The main requirement however is that they are tame and suitable to be house cats. Of course there are some exceptions, but in general this to me means that a strange person should be able to at least stroke them within a few days. It is hard but we simply can’t use our resources on feral and semi-feral cats that wont be suitable for re-homing!
The process if followed works brilliantly. It is not the answer for all the cats in the Almeria region and we will never be able to help them all, but I am confident that the ones we can re-home, really do have a secure and much-loved future.
ALStrays’s role in all of this is the coordination of the whole process, including information flow, and the management of the all the key relationships. We are always trying to make this more streamline and efficient which is why we bought our own transport van, and where this blog comes in. We are open to working with any cat rescue or individual in the region if they are willing to ‘reserve’ the cats for AlStrays Re-homing and are able to do the following:
- ‘Prepare’ (and sponsor) the cats for adoption, which includes meeting the legal requirements for an animal traveling from Spain to Germany, AND the additional requirements of Katzenherzen and ALStrays.
- Provide a safe environment for the cats while they are waiting to travel, a good level of food and ongoing care, a parasite control policy and a 5-7 day quarantine procedure for new cats.
- Communicate with AlStrays online, including filling out the Re-homing Form for each cat that is accepted, and ensuring we are quickly updated on any changes and health issues
- Provide at least 6 photos of each cat of an acceptable standard for the German homepages, and be able to update these as required
- Bring the cats to one of the pick-up points for the regular transports to Germany, currently Almeria and Los Gallardos, in a cat box of a suitable size and type (with a metal door and water dish), and with a fully completed passport
Cat Preparation:
- To meet the legal requirements, each cat needs a European passport, an up to date Rabies vaccination (at 3+ months), and a chip, with the date of implantation the SAME AS or BEFORE the Rabies vaccination. Cats must have the Rabies vaccination 21 days prior to travel. Please check each new adult cat for a chip prior to any vet treatment. Also be aware that because of the legal requirements no cat under the age of 3 months + 3 weeks can travel
- In addition each cat, unless previously vaccinated must have 2 RCPCh Vaccinations (against Feline Herpes, Feline Calicivirus (Cat Flu), and Feline Infectious Entiritis), AND 2 FeLV vaccinations (against Leukaemia). The 1st and 2nd vaccination of each type needs to be given between 20 days and one month apart to ensure maximum immunity levels.
- Older previously vaccinated cats must have all their vaccinations up to date. If these are due to expire within 3 months of arrival in Germany, new ones will be requested
- Each cat must be tested for FiV and FeLV and the results vet stamped into their passport, and signed. This can be done from 3 months onwards. Adult cats, being higher risk, should be tested before FeLV vaccinations, and before they are allowed to have contact with other rescue cats. Once the test is done, cats reserved for Germany should not be in contact with un-tested cats
- Cats should be treated for fleas and worms immediately after rescue, and checked for ear mites, diarrhoea and any other infectious parasitic or bacterial infections as part of the incubation period. Worming is then required 3 monthly, and each cat must be Frontlined or equivalent prior to travel
- Cats need to undergo a good health check 10 days before the transport to allow time to treat any minor conditions. Cats need to be healthy on arrival in Germany (unless clearly agreed beforehand) and free from: Fleas, worms, ear mites, fungus, diarrhoea, flu or cold symptoms, gum disease, eye infections, wounds and Giardia intestinal parasites. Cats should also not be underweight. This is often a clear sign of parasitic infection or Corona virus, even when a cat has no diarrhoea
- All parasite treatments must be entered in the appropriate sections of the passport, and pages 4 and 5 accurately completed. The day before travel, the cat needs to be checked again and the Clinical Examination section in the back of the passport must be dated, stamped and signed by a vet
- Cats of 6+ months old need to be sterilised, but preferably not before 5 months.
- A cat needs 21 days legally after its Rabies vaccination before it can travel. AlStrays in addition requires 2 weeks after a female sterilisation or any other major surgery, 1 week after a male sterilisation or recovery from any illness requiring medication, and 3 days after the last vaccination
All of this is really important, as the cats are going to very clean homes in Germany, where there are usually already other cats. We cannot risk incurring huge vet bills over there or any loss to our reputation or that of Katzenherzen. The adoptants in Germany expect correctly prepared, friendly, healthy cats. In return our cats get fantastic loving homes, and we send them in the knowledge that if there are any initial problems or a home doesn’t work out, they have the girls from Katzenherzen to take care of them. The cats always come first, because they are the important ones in all of this, and any problems are considered to be down to the humans!! This is the perfect attitude and why I trust Katzenherzen completely. They in return have to be able to trust us, which is why the re-homing process is so important. Together we can all continue to help a lot of cats to a much better life.
