Surrender Policy

At FRANK, our mission is to provide a second chance for cats that are truly in need, particularly those that are abandoned, abused, or neglected. As a small, all-volunteer, non-profit rescue, we are limited in the number of cats we can take in, and our resources are stretched to capacity. To ensure we are prioritizing the cats who need us most, we have established the following surrender criteria and process.


Criteria for Surrendering Cats

We accept cats that meet the following conditions:

  1. Abandoned, Abused, or Neglected Cats: We focus on rescuing cats that have been left without care, subjected to abuse, or neglected.

  2. Cats with No Severe Behavioral Issues: We are unable to accept cats with serious behavioral problems, such as:

    • Litter Box Avoidance: Cats that consistently pee or poop outside the litter box are not suitable for adoption and require specialized care.
    • Aggression or Dangerous Behavior: Cats that pose a risk to other animals or humans through aggressive behavior.

    These cats need specialized behavioral interventions that we do not have the resources to provide.

  3. Not Due to Housing or Lifestyle Changes: We ask that owners who are surrendering their pets because of housing arrangements or lifestyle changes (e.g., moving to a pet-free apartment) exhaust all other options before considering surrender. These situations are preventable with proper planning and care.

The Process for Surrendering

If you are considering surrendering a cat that meets our criteria, please follow these steps:

  1. Contact FRANK: Reach out to us via email or phone to discuss your situation. Please provide as much detail as possible about the cat's health, temperament, and behavior.
  2. Provide Medical Records: We require full medical records for any cat you wish to surrender. This helps us better understand the cat's needs and any pre-existing conditions.
  3. Surrender Evaluation: Once we have reviewed your request, a member of our team will schedule a meeting or phone call to assess the situation. In some cases, we may recommend alternative resources for rehoming or behavioral support.
  4. Final Decision: After the evaluation, we will notify you if we can accept the cat into our program. Due to limited capacity, we may not be able to take every surrender request, but we will do our best to offer guidance.

Our Mission and Limitations

FRANK is committed to rescuing the cats most in need, providing them with medical care, foster homes, and the opportunity for adoption into forever homes. However, due to limited space, funding, and volunteer resources, we cannot be the solution for every surrender request, especially when those requests are due to:

  • Behavioral problems that make a cat unadoptable.
  • Housing changes or situations that could have been addressed with better planning.

We ask for your understanding and cooperation. We are doing our best to help as many cats as possible, but we must focus our efforts where they are needed most. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please reach out to us, and we will do our best to guide you to the right resources.