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You'll find bad things said about that organization too, at least in some places, and they've been around for at least 25 years. (Main issue apparently: org still revolving too much around original founders.) Best Friends Animal Society Home Page
Snips
My main concerns with Caboodle are what happens when the money runs out, and it has to sooner or later, and also... what happens to the cats should he take ill or die? This is an older gent, not a young man with a high income job. There's no mention of his plans when that time comes. That many cats being thrown into the shelter system at one time isn't a good thing. I fear loving adoptable healthy cats will end up being euthanized by the hundreds.
You can go on the web site and ask those questions.I think they have a discussion board.
I'm NOT snarking at you. Just want to make that clear first.
Any question, that even slightly hints that you are "interrogating" or doubting procedures, etc. in any way... never sees the light of day.
I'm NOT snarking at you. Just want to make that clear first.
Any question, that even slightly hints that you are "interrogating" or doubting procedures, etc. in any way... never sees the light of day.
Another reason to be suspicious. Why would they not want to answer questions if they're on the up and up? That would strike me as someone with something to hide.
They have been taken to court plus the charges were dismissed. One can get suspicious when that happens. It also takes away money that would have been used to feed the cats.
It is a good question. This is not just like opening a business where if you fail the only thing hurt is your own finances. You can open a coffee shop, wing it, and then if you run out of money without being successful, it just closes and maybe you go bankrupt.
If Caboodle Ranch runs out of money, hundreds of cats are in jeopardy. It's not much good if all they've done is postpone for several years the euthanasia of the cats instead of preventing it.
To be fair, on the FAQ page this is the question at the very top:
Quote:
Q: What will happen to the cats and the ranch if Craig gets sick or can no longer work?
A: Craig already has a plan for trained people to immediately come and work the ranch and care for the cats should anything happen to him.
It's just that if you're going to be realistic about soliciting significant donations (as opposed to just small amounts from individuals), I think you'd ultimately have to be a little more open than that. Dunno. Just a guess.
If you want to really delve into it, you can go to Guidestar.org (they are not yet listed in Charity Navigator), sign up for a free account, search for Caboodle Ranch and then you'll be able to look at the federal form 990 from the last few years. I just looked at the 2009 one because the filing of this actually includes a fair amount of previous info. This is a sort of "tax return" that is filed by nonprofit corporations, although they do not owe any tax. Highlights include: only $12,000 is paid out in salary. There is some paid out in "occupancy" (rent or a mortgage I guess) but it's minimal at $16,000. Almost $50k is spent on feeding. There's supposed to be a 3-person board of directors, although apparently at least one is some relation to the founder. In 2008 the expenses vs income was $19,000 in the red (where the extra came from I don't know) but in 2009 there was a small positive balance there, and they have some cash in the bank. Revenue (money coming in) in 2008 was $88,000 and in 2009 $129,000. (Was about $60,000 in 2007.) Seems like a positive trend if this was kept up in 2010; that form should be available later in the year. It looks like none of the $$ come from large donations though. If I read it right (I'm not an expert at the forms, just have a reasonable knowledge of what it should mean) it seems like they'd have to disclose on a separate line any gifts that were more than about $5000.
Anyway, after a glance at this, it looks fairly positive. As long as the trend continues there is reason to be optimistic, I think.
Indoor cats who are just let loose on an outdoor ranch? It is like leaving a baby outside. It would be cruel and confusing to cat who had always had a sheltered indoor home. Sadly, my cat would be better off to the "rainbow" than in those conditions. He would be scared, miserable, and unhappy. My cat is not feral, he is domesticated, and spoiled.
Would we turn a dog loose in an environment like that, and call it a home?
Indoor cats who are just let loose on an outdoor ranch? It is like leaving a baby outside. It would be cruel and confusing to cat who had always had a sheltered indoor home. Sadly, my cat would be better off to the "rainbow" than in those conditions. He would be scared, miserable, and unhappy. My cat is not feral, he is domesticated, and spoiled.
Would we turn a dog loose in an environment like that, and call it a home?
I agree with you. I know my Phaedra, terrorized by suddenly finding herself outside in the driveway, was shaking with fear. I can only imagine what she would do turned loose outside where there were hundreds of other cats and nothing familiar. Zephyr doen't like other cats much. She's a loner. She would most likely, in her fear and confusion, flee the ranch. Zebulon, pampered little fellow, ... well it's hard to tell with him. He likes other cats but his vision isn't perfect because of the nystagmus. I feel he'd quickly become dinner for a local coyote. And that brings up another subject. It's pretty well know there are coyotes in the area of Caboodle. The more they have easy meals of cats, the larger their numbers will become. The more of them there are, the more predation there will be on the cats.
Someone who isn't sitting from the position I am in, cannot possibly know how hard this decision is. I've seen the no kill shelter here and it is stuff made for nightmares, with cats in cages stacked 3 cages high, the air thick with chemicals and kitty litter dust, rows upon rows of cats. You really think that my Molly, for instance, would get her heart medications on time, twice daily with all those cats to attend to? And what about during the day, who would observe her to know when it is time to give her the K+ supplement she needs twice daily as well? Or who is going to know when Charlie, as an other example, needs his homeopathy remedy to eliminate his muscle spasms he gets due to FLUTD and give him his physical therapy he gets from me? Who is going to feed my babies the food they want, most especially the raw, that most want? And as for family, sorry, I wouldn't dream of leaving my babies with family. I am the "odd" one out who loves my cats the way I do. I do have one other sister who is like me, but she has her hands so full as it is, I wouldn't burden her with my babies.
How can I explain when cats have seen hell, or who are ill, who get so close to each other and to me? When Molly, again for an example, has one of her "anxiety" days, she cries out MOM MOM, and no matter what I am doing, I go running to be with her. She just wants me to be close to her until her anxiety passes. I couldn't possibly even think of someone else caring for my babies, or separating them. This is a unique "family" we have created. With no one responsible enough to care for them, and with no other options but a no kill shelter, no.
We ourselves have a small version of a Caboodle Ranch going on here. Now, if I knew of someone who would actually come into this house, and take over this "sanctuary" when both hubs and I pass on, that would be the ideal situation.
Ya gotta stand in someone else's shoes so that you have the understanding of what that person lives. I don't have as many options as most people have.
Totally agree. If a place like Caboodle ranch were available to just - take over the care and feeding of my cat(s) (depending on how many I have when I kick the bucket), then of course that'd be the first choice. If my cats had the kinds of medical conditions yours do, GOE, I'd be hesitant to impose them on family. Some family would just not want the responsibility. Some wouldn't be financially able to take it on. Some are allergic.
I'd probably do the same thing: attempt to arrange some healthy, loving home for my pets to live in upon my death, and put that in my will. But I'd ALSO put in my will, that if this healthy, loving home is not available, then to euthanize my pets rather than leave them for some laboratory to end up with them, or for an abusive home to end up with them, or for them to be left to roam and fend for themselves in the wild.
Especially since I adopt cats that are already declawed, because too many people refuse to adopt them and they end up suffering in shelters, unwanted and unloved, or left to suffer in the wild, because too many shelters refuse to accept them.
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Another reason....
