Ten Lives Club — Local services in Town of Hamburg

I have known Ten Lives club for a while and I have done many benefits and gave a lot of money to them. Last year there was a pregnant stray cat that needed to be trapped and brought somewhere and one of the workers at Ten Lives Club was going to do it and I offered my assistance and she became very irate and words were exchanged and unkind words were said on both sides between me and this Julie and Marie - but in the end the cat was captured and brought to the club. Flash forward to this year and there was another situation I had with an animal that was whacked with a stick so hard that it had a broken back and its legs were dragging and could not even walk and a broken pelvis. This was on a Saturday afternoon everything was closed & I had Marie's personal cell phone number that SHE HAD GAVE ME so I called it and she said to bring it in which I did and they had to put it down....now there was another incident of a cat that was in a park that I trapped and I brought over there and I gave $20 to one of the workers I believe his name was Joe & he told me that I could continue to call this cell number - there were business cards with Marie's number on it on the desk so I took one and when I called her to ask about this cat - I was told to never use this number again after she gave it to me that it was only for friends and family and I just lost all respect for this organization. Now when you call that phone number there's nobody manning the phones and it says that on the recording - you have to leave a msg with an extension ...now back in the day they didn't even have extensions. I ask you - what would have happened with that cat that had a broken back and pelvis on a Saturday afternoon and if I would have called the direct number and left a message and they were closing in 15-20 minutes that cat would have suffered until Monday so I had no choice but to call the cell so now I will never call the cell I don't think I will ever give any more money because the last $20 I gave I did not even receive a receipt like I did before by a very nice girl that worked there. I'm not even working and every time I bring an animal there I give at least 10 or 20 and when I asked on the website about the cat & that i donated $20 they didn't even say thank you for all your donations or nothing they are like all about the money and after reading that one review by the one girl about how unclean the place is that worked and the other guy that said their cats had tapeworms and such - I don't think they're as good as I thought they were. Sure they may not kill the cats there a no kill shelter but they are very unprofessional and for this girl Julie and for Marie to hold a grudge over a year and to not help me trap this poor cold cat in the park which I had to do myself is very petty.... they would rather hold a grudge over a few swear words than to come help me and so i brought the cat in I get nothing but attitude so you know what no more money from me and I hope you get more lawsuits up the ying-yang and one day I will make my own organization and blow them right out of the water. Such a shame it should be about the cats and it's all about money and they're not even being properly taken care of and living in horrible conditions. The one girl even said that Marie walks by these cats that are in intense pain like she doesn't even care and looks right through...

Be careful if you are leaving a kitten with Ten Lives Club to be temporarily fostered. You won’t get him back.

In April, we found a 3-week-old abandoned kitten underweight and suffering from an eye infection. We immediately took him to the vet and began treatment; bottle-feeding him every few hours, cleaning him, and giving him around-the-clock care. We loved him and knew we wanted to keep him.

Wanting to give him the best possible chance for survival, we contacted Ten Lives Club for help. We asked if they could foster him until he was old enough to safely bring home — with the understanding and reassurance that we would be able to adopt him once he was healthy and old enough. We asked this multiple times and were told yes each time. We brought him to Ten Lives Club three days later, heartbroken but hopeful, trusting their word that we would be called as soon as he was up for adoption. Even after we dropped off our cat, we called to check in. We asked if we could receive updates, pictures, or even stay in touch with the foster, but were told that wasn’t allowed — something we accepted. We were told we would be contacted in mid-July when he should be ready to be adopted, and that our names and numbers were on file for when he was ready to come home.

We checked their website and Facebook daily, anxiously waiting to see him listed so we could bring him home. As of July 21, he still was not listed and we received no call. We called that day and again on July 24th. We were stunned to learn he had already been adopted — a month prior.

We spoke with Val K., who informed us that the foster decided to keep him. She told us that fosters "get first pick." That policy was never disclosed to us — not verbally, not in writing. The policy is not on their website. When we talked with Executive Director, Marie Edwards, she told us that this policy is only shared verbally with fosters. We told the intake volunteer that we were not giving up on the kitten but we needed a temporary foster for him to give him the best chance for survival. We wrote on the surrender form that we wanted to adopt him. Had we known our kitten could be adopted by someone else without even a phone call from the Ten Lives Club, we would not have left him with them.

What’s so hurtful is that Val K. told us this situation has happened before.

We feel completely heartbroken and betrayed. We gave our time, money (including donations to Ten Lives Club), and became emotionally invested. We spent months talking about our kitten and how excited we were to welcome him back. We shared his photos with friends and family and imagined him growing up in our home. We know now we won't be getting him back, and that’s devastating. But we’re sharing this story in the hope that it prevents others from experiencing the same heartbreak. We sincerely hope Ten Lives Club reviews their policies, improves transparency, and ensures better communication...

For the past week or so I’ve been back and forth to the pet supplies plus on Sheridan drive in Amherst Ny. I called Marianne to tell her my interest in a older cat named dumbledore. In this message I told her that I would be leaving my work at 4pm and that is the only number I could call from, she could call my work the next day, and after 4 I would be gone. For days I waited for her to call back. I even reached out again to her and another worker Jill. Nothing. During this time I went to visit Dumbledore. We had started to bond. I got to brush him as a worker cleaned his cage. After an hour the following day of waiting for a worker to come so I could ask about taking him home yet again, no one came. I sat there with dumbledore as many people would walk up and say “he’s old” “he’s almost dead” and walk away. This bothered me so much as I was mentally gearing up to take on this cat in any state he came. I was already made aware that he had all of his teeth removed, and was previously returned from someone who already tried adopting him. This didn’t stop my want for him. After reaching out to Marianne again, she answered and when she did she begin to explain how aggravated she was that I had left work early that day I called her(?) I stayed till after four that day waiting for the phone call and she never called claiming she did... she then asked me how old I was and what I did, as well as if I rent or own my home. I told her I rent and it would be tricky getting a hold of my landlord, but gave her his number anyway of course. I then received an email as she said she would be emailing me Monday and if all went well I could take Dumbledore home. After waiting all day yet again, This is the email I got at 11pm almost 12 midnight. “We could not obtain approval from the owner of your rental property and the application was also turned down because of the age of the cat. She is 10 years old and at this age possible health issues requiring regular Visits to a Veterinary Office may prove costly and a financial burden to you. I am very sorry as I know you really like this cat. Maybe a younger cat would be more practical.” ... I work full time as a tattooer. My income is no issue. I am also allowed to have as many cats/dogs/ferrets as I would like as long as I pay a deposit. This is no issue. For her to assume that I didn’t make a enough income because of my age/she actually didn’t call my landlord I am furious. After looking at the reviews I’m starting to understand that Dumbledore is being used as a Luer so people will contact this company and she will then point them in the direction of trying to get a younger healthier cat when in fact all of the cats there are sick and not taken care of, in my honest opinion I know Dumbledore would’ve had a much healthier...