FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. Where do your animals come from?
 

Most of our cats are transfers from overcrowded municipal shelters or from the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals.  Others are from owners who are/were Ladew Cat Sanctuary Members and have/had made special arrangements (Surviving Pet Care) by their owners to be placed in our sanctuary.

2. If I need to give my pet up for adoption, what do I do?
 

Unfortunately, because we have limited space, we are closed for admissions unless you have made special arrangements with our staff (Surviving Pet Care). At this time we do not accept feral cats in our Surviving Pet Care program. If you do need to give up your pet and are located in Oyster Bay, please call the Town of Oyster Bay Animal Shelter at 516–677–5784.  There is also a list of shelters/rescue groups at the bottom of this page that may be useful.

There are also two organizations dedicated to helping people rehome their pets without bringing them to an already over-crowded shelter: Get Your Pet and Adopt A Pet

Another option to post on on a Facebook page called Long Island Stray and Feral Sharing Community. Click on “join” and they usually accept within a few hours. You can then post pictures and ask for whatever help you are looking for. There are over 10,000 people on the page and most are involved in rescue and may be able to help you.

If you are located in the boroughs and cannot find anywhere to take your pets, the Animal Care Centers of NY are open enrollment facilities. They have locations in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Staten Island and are slated to open one in Queens soon. They are a kill shelter but they work with over 300 rescue groups in the tri-state area.

An additional site for information on rehoming can be found on Petfinder.

We hope that this information is helpful.

3. I’m thinking about adopting a pet as a gift for a friend, what do you suggest?
 

Many animals are given up to shelters because people bought them as gifts for friends who really didn’t want them. Some of our kittens have gone out this way when they were little and then returned when they are older and more difficult to place in forever homes (which is not fair to them). Therefore, we suggest that if you want to give pet as a gift, why not ask your friend/relative first if they are willing to make that commitment. If so, you could offer to cover the adoption cost as the gift.

4. Can I return the pet if something happens?
 

Yes, our pets will always have a home for life. Refunds are only given within 7 days of adoption according to the terms in our contract.

5. Can I become a volunteer?
 

Sure! We always need some extra cat cuddlers around – and will promise to be your best friend if you like to clean! We can also use help with fundraising and social media.  Give us a call at 516-922-CATS (2287) or fill out our Volunteer Application.  

6.  How can I donate?

There are several ways to donate.  You can sponsor a cat, you can purchase goods from our Amazon Wish List, or contribute on a monthly basis.  Please visit our Donate page for more detailed information.

7. If I want The Foundation to care for my animals if something happens and I can no longer do so, can I make arrangements?
 

Because we have limited space, arrangements must be made ahead of time.  For further information about the Surviving Pet Care Program, please email us at info@theladewcatsanctuary.org or call us at 516-922-CATS (2287).

8. There are some feral/stray cats in my yard that I would like to trap and get them spayed or neutered. How do I go about this?
 

If you need help now, you may want to contact Animal Alliance Long Island which is a network of educational and directional information helping feral cat rescuers, care givers and individual citizens on Long Island to implement a humane and effective solution toward resolving the feral cat problem on Long Island with TNR (Trap, Neuter and Return). TNR is a proven successful option and sound solution for the control and reduction of feral cat populations.

If you are located in the five boroughs, please contact The Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals, The Feral Cat Council, or Neighborhood Cats  for information in your area. If you are located in Oyster Bay, The Town of Oyster Bay Animal Shelter has a free TNR program for Oyster Bay residents.

Please note: The list below is not current as of 2021 but still may have some useful phone numbers that may be of help.