What is Forgotten 4-Paws?
Forgotten 4-Paws is a Central Ohio non-profit, volunteer-run organization
concerned with the welfare of all animals. Rescuing dogs and cats since 1996,
we have helped over 4,000 animals find the happily-ever-after endings they
so desperately deserve. We rescue abandoned and stray dogs and cats and place
them with caring foster families and then adopt them into life-long, loving families.
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Where do the dogs, cats, puppies and kittens come from?
We rescue abandoned and stray dogs and cats. We are also work in partnership
with several animal shelters throughout Ohio. These shelters are overrun with abandoned
dogs and cats, and surplus litters, that irresponsible pet owners create.
Shelters take in far more animals than they could ever hope to adopt
out. We bring these deserving dogs and cats into our program to find them
the homes they so desperately deserve.
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What types of dogs and cats are available?
What kind aren't? Sadly, all breeds, sizes , ages and types of pets become
homeless. We rescue many varieties of small to large
breed dogs, mostly mixed (our preference) and some
purebred. Purebreds? Yes, sadly, original "purchase price" does save a purebred
from becoming a sad statistic due to an irresponsible owner. The same goes
for the cats we rescue, alley cats and exotic breeds alike enter our program.
Keep checking this site for available dogs and cats...the perfect pet is available
through rescue...patience sometimes required.
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Are the dogs and cats spayed and neutered?
YES. The reason so many pets have to be rescued in the first place is that
there are too many of them, and not enough homes! Most shelters are completely
full 100% of the time and must make room for new intakes by euthanizing the
ones already there. The best way to attack the overpopulation problem is
to attack the root of the problem, and prevent more puppies and kittens from
being born. Every dog and cat Forgotten 4-Paws rescues is spayed or
neutered before being adopted. Puppies and kittens are adopted under a spay/neuter contact
with a certificate for the procedure to be done when they are old enough. Violation
of this agreement results in the immediate removal of the pet from the adopted
home.
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If you don't have any history, how do we know the pet is healthy?
A licensed veterinarian examines all the dogs and cats we rescue. Dogs and
puppies receive a basic physical exam, are tested for heartworm (if old enough),
receive vaccines, flea and heartworm prevention, are micro
chipped and spayed
or neuter (puppies receive a certificate for age appropriate spay/neuter).
Cats and kittens receive a basic physical exam are tested for FIV and Feline
Leukemia,
receive vaccines, flea and heartworm prevention and spayed or neutered (kittens receive
a certificate for age appropriate spay/neuter). When you adopt from Forgotten 4-Paws, you will
receive their health record and information about continued care.
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Why don't you have a shelter or facility?
We have a strong foster care program instead. Our goal is to get dogs and cats
off the streets and out of shelters and into nurturing foster homes or permanent
homes immediately. Pets experience many of the same emotions as humans, such
as stress, loneliness and depression. By placing a rescued pet into a home environment, we hope
to ease their transition and get them well on the road to happily-ever-after.
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How does the adoption process work?
It all starts with an application. Once you submit your completed application,
the next step is to be interviewed by a Forgotten 4-Paws volunteer, either
via phone, or at an adoption event. When we have confirmed that the pet you
are interested in or if we have a pet that matches the criteria on your
application, we may
contact you by phone for an interview, and/or invite you to attend the next
adoption event so you can spend time getting to know each other. The next step
in the approval process is a home visit. This allows us to see the pet
in your environment and make cure you are a good match for the pet and
the pet is a good match for you. Many times, our volunteers "trained eye"
during a home visit can help point out some possible hazards you will want
to fix before bringing a new friend home. We work hard to make successful "mutt/kitty-matches",
so we help guide you to the dogs, cats, puppies and kittens that we think are
a good fit for you/your family.
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How often do adoption events take place?
We hold an adoption event every Saturday (excluding holiday weekends)
from 12pm-3pm at the Easton PetsMart location. Check the Next Adoption Event
banner to see at the top of the page to see what Furry Friend will be there or for other upcoming
events. You can visit our cats at the Pet Adoption Centers at the Easton
PetsMart location.
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How much are the adoption fees?
Adoption fees for dogs is $150.00 and cats are $75.00. This donation
is used to help us pay for costs associated with the rescue and care of your new friend. It covers
items such as: spay/neuter, vaccinations, worming, heartworm and flea prevention,
any other medical care, food, etc. The adoption fees don't even begin
to cover all our costs, but it certainly helps!
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How can I help?
First of all, be part of solution, spay/neuter your pets and encourage others
to do the same. Since we are a non-profit group, donations
are needed to help fund our rescue efforts and go for things like vet care, food,
pet supplies, etc. We are also run solely by the support of volunteers, so individuals
are needed to help at adoption days, to perform general admin, to clean cages at the
PetSmart adoption centers and to help at special events and fundraisers.
You can also donate your connections or talents. We are
always in need of services such as dog training and grooming.
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What's the difference between Forgotten 4-Paws and a Shelter or Humane Society?
The main difference is physical: Forgotten 4-Paws is an independent organization
that basically operates out of volunteers' homes, without a facility. There
are also benefits to adopting a dog from an organization like Forgotten 4-Paws:
Most of our adoptable
dogs and cats have been in foster care--in a regular home environment--so
we have a good idea of how they will behave in the real
world. For dogs, we usually know if they are housebroken, good with other
dogs, good with cats, appropriate for children or not, energy/activity level, and so forth. As for
cats, we get to know if they are lap mates or playmates, good with other cats,
good with dogs, appropriate for children or not, energy/activity level, and
so forth. This makes it easier to match up our Furry Friends with the right
home, and easier for you to select the right companion.
Our pets have already been vet-checked, vaccinated, de-wormed, and spayed/neutered before
adoption. They've also received high-quality dog food and extra
measures like flea control, heartworm preventive and grooming. While no one
can guarantee the long-term health of any pet, we do take the time
and incur the expense to get basic healthcare and assessments done before
our pets go to permanent homes.
When you adopt from Forgotten 4-Paws, your pet already has close to $300.00 of care invested
in it before you take him/her home! Of course, the tender-loving
care they receive from their foster parents, as we prepare them for their new
permanent homes, is priceless!
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