As a recognized PetSmart Charity, we have been given the valuable opportunity to use our PetSmart’s Adoption Center to promote our adoptable cats. Our cats’ stay at the Adoption Center provides them with great exposure to the many pet-loving individuals who visit our PetSmart. Volunteers ensure that their enclosures are kept clean, provide them with valuable social interaction, and ensure that they remain happy and healthy during their stay. It is common for a cat who has never stayed at the Adoption Center before to take a day or two to settle into the environment; however, our volunteers are terrific at making sure that Adoption Center cats are given quality play and snuggle time, and that all cats are kept comfortable and safe while at the Center.
If you have not been offered an opportunity for your foster cat to stay at the PetSmart Adoption Center, please let Desert Paws Adoption Center Coordinator know. Adult cats are allowed to stay at the Adoption Center for up to two weeks and kittens up to one week. Adult cats must be spayed/neutered, microchipped, and have had both their yearly FVRCP and rabies vaccination prior to their stay. Kittens must be spayed/neutered, microchipped, and have received the first of their FVRCP vaccination series.
Moving Cats into the Adoption Center
Please make sure that you complete the following steps to prepare your foster cat’s enclosure prior to their stay:
Add copies of all current medical records (including Rabies Certificate, if applicable) to the 3-ring PetSmart binder, located on the overhead shelf.
The Rabies vaccine must have been given at least 24 hours prior to a cat’s stay at the center.
All cats/kittens must be microchipped, w/their microchip number present on their medical record.
Complete description card for window.
Reusing description cards is permitted AFTER the ‘move-in’ date has been updated.
Both blank and old cards are stored in a clear plastic box, located in the bottom cabinets.
Fill out a PetSmart Resident Wellness Chart, found in the clear plastic box located in the bottom cabinets.
Include: Your name & phone number, your foster cat/kitten’s name and age, specific directions regarding their food, any additional notes that you feel are appropriate.
Prepare an enclosure for your foster cat/kitten by including:
A bed
Blankets
Toys
A litter box with 2-3 inches of litter
Food (If you foster cat/kitten requires special food, please ensure that the container is labeled, and its location is noted on the Resident Wellness Chart.
Water
Moving Cats out of the Adoption Center
Please make sure that you complete the following steps before bringing your foster cat/kitten home from the Adoption Center:
Remove your foster cat/kitten’s records from the PetSmart binder.
Add removed records to the clear plastic box, located in the bottom cabinets.
Remove description card from front window.
Add removed description card(s) to clear plastic box, located in the bottom cabinets
Remove your foster cat’s PetSmart Resident Wellness Chart from it’s clipboard and add it to the clear plastic box, located in the bottom cabinets.
Clean and sanitize the enclosure.
Remove used beds, blankets, and toys to wash, and check the “laundry” cabinet for additional dirty items that need cleaning. It is considered your responsibility to take these items home to wash, and return them the following week. Please let a DPR Administrator know if you are unable to do this so that accommodations can be made.
Clean Turbo-Scratcher with disinfectant spray and paper towel.
Remove any hair stuck in cardboard scratchers with lint brush or lint roller. Replacement cardboard scratchers are stored in the bottom cabinets.
Empty used litter into trash can.
Clean used litter boxes with disinfectant spray and paper towels.
Wipe down all enclosure surfaces (top, bottom, sides, and windows) w/disinfectant spray and paper towels.
Empty and sanitize all water or food bowls.
PLEASE NOTE
It is important to us that our adoption center volunteers are not delegated these tasks by foster-parents. The use of our PetSmart Adoption Center is a privilege provided to us by the PetSmart Charities organization and the employees of our PetSmart store. We love it when adoption center volunteers offer to assist a foster-parent with moving a cat/kitten in or out of the center; however, the preparation of a cat or kitten’s adoption center enclosure upon move-in and the cleanup of a cat or kitten’s adoption center enclosure upon move-out is the primary responsibility of the foster-parent.