Home

Exchange Program

Back

An approved rescue group in good standing may opt to participate in our surrender exchange program instead of paying the surrender fee. First time participants in the program will be required to submit an application form to provide evidence of their ability to adopt out the exchanged cats, including submitting their adoption application form.

Terms and Conditions

Under the exchange program a rescue group agrees to the following terms and conditions for surrendering a cat:

  1. Within one year of surrendering the cat, the rescue must take a number of highly adoptable adult cats or a number of kittens to place in adoptive homes. The actual number of animals to be taken is based on a simple point system in which each animal taken is counted as a number of points towards a required total.
  2. The total number of points required for each surrender will be that in effect on the date that the cat is surrendered. The current total is 50 points. However The Cat House on the Kings reserves the right to adjust this number from time to time.
  3. If the rescue has not accumulated the required number of points within one year of surrendering the cat, the rescue is deemed to be delinquent and the point value of each animal taken subsequently is reduced and consequently the rescue will have to take more animals to satisfy the agreement.
  4. The point system for an exchange is as follows, with "standard" points for taking the animal within one year after the surrender and "delinquent" points for taking the animal after the first year:
      Kitten Cat
    Standard (≤ 1 year) 2 10
    Delinquent (> 1 year) 1 5
  5. Only cats/kittens taken no more than six months before the surrender will count towards the new exchange. Cats/kittens taken more than six months before the surrender will not count.
  6. If a kitten/cat taken as part of the exchange program is subsequently deemed to be unadoptable, the rescue must return the unadoptable kitten/cat to The Cat House on the Kings at no charge to either party and relinquish the points previously credited to the exchange for that kitten/cat.
  7. In the event that a rescue has more than one exchange in progress, the points for an exchanged animal are applied to the earliest surrender.
  8. For the purposes of the exchange program, a cat over 26 weeks old is considered to be an adult.
  9. Each kitten will have received at least two FVRCP vaccinations and each adult a least one FVRCP vaccination. All cats will have been treated for fleas and worms. All fixed cats will also have been tested for FeLV/FIV.
  10. In the event that the surrendered cat leaves The Cat House on the Kings within one year of being surrendered (e.g. through adoption or death), the exchange agreement obligations remain in effect.
  11. All animals taken in exchange must come directly from the sanctuary, not an off-site adoption center or foster home, unless a written waiver is obtained from a staff member in advance.
  12. For animals taken as part of this program, there may be a nominal fee, determined on a case-by-case basis, to help defray the cost of spay/neuter surgery, vaccinations, flea and worm treatment etc.

Example

Based on these terms, the rescue must take 25 kittens or 5 adult cats, or some combination of the two, within one year in exchange for one surrendered cat.