Frequently Asked Questions about the Manchester Animal Shelter

FMAS

Manchester Animal Shelter

A Safe Haven for Stray & Homeless Animals

Here are the questions we most often get at the shelter. Click on a question, choose a category, or scroll down the list.

Lost & Found Adopting Volunteering Misc.

Lost & Found Questions

I just lost my cat/dog in Manchester. What do I do?

If you lost your dog:

Contact the Manchester Police Department's Animal Control Division right away (668-8711 x441). They are the only ones who can bring a stray dog into the shelter.

For lost cats and dogs, do the following:

Contact the animal shelter and let us know that you lost your pet. Be prepared to provide a full description of the animal (breed, color, etc.) as well as any unique identifiers, such as collars, scars, etc. Tell us the location from which the animal was lost, including the name of the nearest major road. We will log your report in our Lost & Found book.
Bring a good recent photo of your pet to the animal shelter along with its name and the date and area where it was lost. Include your contact information. We will put it on our Lost & Found board.
Post signs in your neighborhood. Provide a thorough description or a photograph of the animal, and include your phone number.
Talk to neighborhood children and seniors. Children tend to be outdoors more and encounter more animals, and the seniors tend to be home more during the day.
Visit the animal shelter every few days to make sure your pet has not been admitted. We do our best to match them up, but no one knows your pet better than you.

I just found a stray cat/dog in Manchester. What do I do?

If the animal appears to be sick, injured, confused, or dangerous in any way, DO NOT try to catch it. Contact the Manchester Police immediately and explain the situation to them. (668-8711 x441)

If the animal appears friendly and is in your possession, check to see if it has any identifying tags on it.

For dogs, contact the Manchester Police first and notify them of the situation. Call us at the shelter too, just in case someone reported losing the dog (628-3544).
For cats, check with your neighbors to see if they know who might own it. Post signs in the area that say "FOUND CAT" and provide a description and your contact information. Call the Manchester Animal Shelter to report that you found a cat. If the animal appears to be sick, injured, or pregnant, let us know. DO NOT bring the animal into the shelter until you are instructed to do so!

I just found a litter of kittens outside. What do I do?

First off:

DO NOT attempt to care for young kittens yourself.
NEVER take kittens away from a nursing mother.
ALWAYS contact the Manchester Animal Shelter for advice.

Be aware that young kittens are not able to eat on their own and can fail within hours unless they receive the proper care and nutrients!

The most important thing about young kittens is to keep them with their mother. If it appears that there is no mother or that she is not caring for them, gather the kittens in a secure box and make sure they are kept in a warm room (at least 80 degrees F). Contact the Manchester Animal Shelter immediately to arrange transport.

If there is a mother caring for the kittens and they are not in danger, you can try to befriend the mother first by offering her food. If you feel safe and comfortable handling the mother and can get her and the kittens in a safe and warm location (porch, garage, etc.) then do so. Contact the Manchester Animal Shelter immediately and arrange for transport of the mother and kittens. If the mother is not cooperative, do not try to do this on your own. Contact the shelter for advice.

If you cannot get close to the mother, DO NOT try to catch her OR handle her kittens. Contact the Manchester Police immediately (668-8711 x441) and explain the situation to them.

ADOPTION QUESTIONS

How old do I have to be to adopt an animal?

You must be at least 21 years old to adopt an animal from the Manchester Animal Shelter. Positive proof of ID is absolutely required.

What if the animal I adopt doesn't get along with a member of my family, my roommate, etc.?

Owning a pet is a serious long-term responsibility. If you have children or other people that live with you, we may refuse to approve your application until everyone has come down to meet the animal. We like to observe the animal interacting with all members of its new "family" to ensure that the situation is safe for both the people and the animal.

Why was my application denied?

The Manchester Animal Shelter reserves the right to refuse any animal to any person for any reason. The main reason an application is denied is because the animal went to a different home. We often take multiple applications on an animal so that we have the flexibility to place it in what we consider to be the best situation. This is not necessarily a reflection on you, but perhaps on the animal you were trying to adopt. In those cases, you may be readily approved for the adoption of a different animal that better matches your situation.

What if the animal I adopt doesn't get along with my current pet?

This is a very common question, as many people are interested in getting a playmate for their current pet. There are a lot of rules and an equal amount of speculation involved when trying to determine if two or more animals will get along. When you come to the shelter, talk to the volunteer who is assisting you and explain your situation. They will have a LOT of advice to offer. Understand that there is never any guarantee that everyone will become fast friends, but we can suggest methods that will maximize the possibility of success. Be aware that a new introduction may take anywhere from several days to several weeks or even months. Trying to rush the situation could cause permanent relationship problems, so please be very patient in this situation. We usually have brochures available at the front desk that can advise you on introducing new pets into your home.

Do you have kittens? When will you have kittens?

The traditional "kitten season" runs from late spring to late summer, so we are most likely to have kittens during that time. But there are usually kittens trickling in during the rest of the year as well. We usually do not know when a litter of kittens will come in and be available for adoption, so please do not ask us. If you are adamant about getting a kitten, your best bet is to call us every few days and ask if we have them. Please be aware that when we do have kittens available, they go out extremely fast, so hurry up and get here!

Do you have puppies?

Occasionally we do have dogs that are 6 months or younger, but it is pretty rare. Most of our dogs are one year or older. If you are certain that you want a puppy, we are not your best resource. If you prefer to adopt a shelter dog, we recommend using the PetFinder web site to search for a young dog within your geographic area. (www.petfinder.org)

Can I get a barn cat?

It is not uncommon that we have cats available that are classified as "permanently feral" and will likely never adapt to an indoor-home situation. For these cats, we seek out what we call "barn homes", that is, an indoor/outdoor environment that provides the cat with food and warm shelter. All barn cats are spayed/neutered, so you don't have to worry about population issues. If you are interested in providing a barn home for one or more feral cats, please contact the shelter. We will put you in touch with a member of our Special Needs team who will explain our barn cat program and arrange for an on-site evaluation of your property.

VOLUNTEERING QUESTIONS

How old do I have to be to volunteer at the shelter?

You must be at least 18 years old to volunteer on-site at the Manchester Animal Shelter. Younger people, however, can help the shelter by organizing a fundraiser through their school classroom, churches, or other social groups. We can help you organize the event by giving you a list of suggested donations and things that the shelter needs.

How many hours a week are required from a volunteer?

There really is no "minimum requirement". Ideally, we like a commitment of 2-hours per week, but if you can only do half that, we'll take it! Most of our volunteers adopt a shift on a particular day (or night) of the week and stick to it. What is most important to us is consistency, so we know when someone is (or isn't) going to be there. If you can only come in every other week, that's fine... as long as we know about it.

What types of things does a volunteer do?

The shelter staff is divided into teams, with each team being dedicated to a vital operation of the shelter. These teams include:

Reception (meeting/greeting visitors, processing paperwork)
Cat-care (cleaning, feeding, showing, and socializing our cats)
Dog-care (cleaning, walking, and showing our dogs)
Meds (giving medicine to animals)
Special Needs (socializing feral cats)
Surgery (assisting with spay/neuter operations)
Newsletter (write articles about shelter events)
Adoptathon (setup booth at local stores & shows, mingle with the public, transport animals, etc.)

Some volunteers belong to more than one team so they can contribute to wherever their help is most needed.

Working at the shelter is not a strenuous job, but it does require fundamental social skills, routine bending, and occasional lifting (~20 lbs).

I want to volunteer. How do I get started?

Come down to the shelter and request a new volunteer application. Fill it out and hand it to the receptionist. They may go over it with you right then and organize a time for you to come in for training. If not, someone will call you and make arrangements for your first visit.

MISCELLANEOUS QUESTIONS

I can't keep my dog/cat. What do I do?

The Manchester Animal Shelter does NOT accept personal pets, however we can usually refer you to other area shelters that do. However, we would prefer this to be your last resort. The first thing you should do is try to make every conceivable effort that would result in you being able to keep your pet. If you absolutely have to get rid of it, contact your friends, family, coworkers, and other people you trust and ask them if they can take over ownership of the animal. Sweeten the deal by offering to contribute toward food or veterinary costs. If you want to get rid of the animal because it is having behavior problems, contact your veterinarian or a professional trainer. If the animal is suddenly having "bathroom issues", this could be caused by a readily treatable medical condition. Contact your veterinarian immediately.