Greater New Haven Cat Project — Local services in New Haven

FYI to anyone checking reviews before submitting an adoption application: if you are renting and haven’t lived in your place for over nine months, don’t bother.

Also wanted to note that I had a VERY similar experience to Sarah G. Very rude and snide which really surprised me. And similar story arc: partner and I submitted a form and a little over a week later followed up on Instagram to make sure it went through. They eventually confirmed it hadn’t, and encouraged us to re-populate and re-submit and call their office on Saturdays, which we were told is the only day they man the phones.

We did that, and the woman we reached said, “Yes, I already told Diane, there’s no application with that name, I already checked all of them yesterday.” When we again told her that we were instructed by the organization to resubmit and try calling, she told us, “Well, I don’t have any internet down here” and left it at that. (??)

So I just said no worries, that we were told to call Saturdays but if now wasn’t a good time I could try back later or another day, whatever works, and got an exasperated sigh and “Well, I could check on my phone.” I again said I didn’t want to be much trouble and again would be happy to call back another time, but instead I guess she was able to pull up and read our form.

We were then told that GNHCP does not permit adoptions to anyone who hasn’t lived over NINE months in their residences if they are renting because “something might not work out with your residence, like you might not like it once you get there and need to move again.” Please note this isn’t stated anywhere on the website “because if we put it there people will just submit what we want to hear.”*

I totally understand this — for the more subjective questions that are trying to get a sense of the quality and character of the adopters. But something verifiable and quantifiable like a minimum number of months seems like a no-brainer to indicate. (Especially since they state on the form they’ll already be asking for your lease or other paperwork to verify your landlord okay’d pets.) This logic hasn’t stopped them from clearly noting on their site that they only adopt to CT residents, for example. Putting this information on their website would I am sure cut down on their application volume and safe them some time, just as it would have saved my partner and I time filling out the form twice (and also somewhat misguidedly obsessively perusing their cats currently up for adoption, who are precious and blameless in this madness, as is, I assume, Diane).

All in all, a pretty confusing and surprisingly nasty experience right off the bat. Wouldn’t have left a review if we had not, like Sarah G, been a bit taken aback at how snide they were right away. Maybe it’s a screening tactic? ¯(ツ)/¯

*NB: We have a two year lease signed after an in-person viewing, no roommates, and an in-writing landlord OK for up to two cats, so I feel pretty confident about our situation, but understand rules are rules. Even if they aren’t previously...

The lady is really rude and discriminating. I reached out for help because I rescued a female cat that was dumped in my backyard who was pregnant. I told her myself and my children are disabled and that I couldn’t afford to neutered the female cat nor two male cats that the female cat birthed. I have reached out to a lot of shelters to help me including this program. The program is not the problem is the attitude, professionalism, and listening skills. They are just not appropriate for a business like this one. She has kept calling me to offer me services I have to pay being aware already due to two previous calls of my financial and home situation. My two disabled kids are really attached to this three animals. My cat is going to die if she keeps bitching cats the way she has. The cat has birth 15 kittens one miscarriage in less than a year and she’s only 2 years old. I have done the best I can to reach out to all programs and ask for help. Unfortunately I can’t do much at this point and less with programs that are run by rude and inconsiderate people. I hope this lady deals with her attitude and how to talk to clients. This is not the right way to manage a program. I don’t know why continue to call for an appointment when she’s aware of my situation in the previous calls. Then she gets upset and lies that I threatened her by saying “Then I will have to release them to the street because no one can help and I can’t afford this right now”. People really need to educate themself and be more professional and compassionate to other people’s situations. You can’t force people to get services they can’t pay. Stressing the person out because you can’t afford this services. Like I said I was really open about my financial situation in a previous conversation. I volunteered for this people before and even worked with them in past. I don’t know what happen to this program but it’s definitely not as helpful and cordial as it use to be. If you can’t help just said it and let the person find someone who can but harassing the caller and with a obligating attitude is not the way. No one ever asked for free handouts. We were looking into a program that use to be free. I took all the steps necessary they told me to take and never called again. The call was recorded for defamation reason. She had a terrible attitude and as juman I responded rudely like she did the difference between me and her she’s suppose to be professional in her line of work. You can’t treat someone awful and get a party as a response. She has harass me by phone and I have phone calls to proof I called once and never again. She has called me 3 times with this call wanting to obligate me to take services she’s aware...

In early summer I had the pleasure of working with GNHCP to rescue an abandoned cat that showed up in our yard. After a few days of letting the cat be, thinking it was someone’s and noticing it isn’t leaving the one area, nothing to eat or drink, our concern grew more and more. I called every shelter I could, pet stores, rescues asking for help or advice, many people recommended leaving it, others recommended contacts that turned into dead ends and a few recommended GNHCP. Once I contacted them and informed them of the situation they helped by coming and rescuing the cat which was very dehydrated at the point. After multiple attempts down other avenues GNHCP was the only one that came through..it’s very discouraging when you call cat rescues and get told they can’t help but thankfully that wasn’t the case with GNHCP. Very happy with their help, great communication back and forth, and they came when they said they will. Thank you again...