Are rescues allowed to set their own adoption rules?

////Are rescues allowed to set their own adoption rules?

Question

During the home check procedure I applied for an indoor only cat but she is desperate to go out. The rescue has said that if I let her out they can take her back. Is that true? I did sign a contract but the contract said nothing about indoor/outdoor. Are rescues allowed to set their own rules or does there need to be some legal standing behind their rules?

Answer

Rescues have wide discretion on what to include in adoption agreements. Many adoption agreements state that cats must be kept indoors. The purpose of this provision is to prevent cats from getting lost, run over, attacked by other animals, etc. However, unless an adoption agreement requires adopters to keep their adopted cat indoors, it may be difficult for a rescue to reclaim the cat based solely on the cat being outdoors. The agreement should be carefully reviewed. I hope the cat has a safe and happy life.

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By |2021-09-09T17:32:40-04:00August 5th, 2021|