Cats Protection

Gsaver1

Earlier this year I adopted a "two-year-old cat" in March. The day after I took the cat home I read all the documentation that came with the cat. I was in fact the owner of a fourteen-year-old cat. I contacted Cats Protection saying I thought I was getting a two-year-old cat as was advertised on the website. Seeing as this was not right both parties agreed that I would return the cat to the Cats Protection Centre.

When I returned the cat I was told seeing as I paid the one hundred pounds re-homing fee in cash it would take a while to be refunded as the safe was a roll-in safe that only the treasurer has keys to. I waited a month and contacted them again. I then contacted the Chief Executive in April saying what had happened and I was still waiting for my refund. He assured me that it was getting looked into but as of yet I have not got my refund.

I then gave them a further month in which to process a refund. A month passed again and this time I got a reply from the Executive Assistant to the Chief Executive. In this email, she writes "I am sorry to read that you haven't yet received a refund, so I have asked my colleagues dealing with this matter to provide me with an update. I will be in contact with you as soon as I've heard back from them.

In the meantime, if I can be of any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me."

I then contacted them again on the 29th of June and have heard nothing back from them.

I have supported Cats Protection for a good number of years. I lost my eighteen-year-old cat in 2021 and I swithered long and hard about getting another one as it is tough when they pass away. I saw this two-year-old cat and I thought I could provide a home for this cat. The information provided to me was wrong and when I picked up the cat nothing was mentioned about the age of the cat. 

I am disappointed about the whole experience. Can anyone give me any pointers about how to get my money back and conclude this sorry episode? If the roles were reversed I would be refunding that money as soon as possible but these people at this charity think it is okay to just fob me off.  

Thanking you in anticipation.

 

turnitround

Cant say I'm surprised by this. Someone I know works for Cats Protection and has had quite amazing and expensive changes and adaptations made to her house all in the name of 'making it better for the cats' she fosters before they are rehomed all paid for by the charity.

SensibleSarah

Contact them via public social media to their main national account - that usually gets results very quickly as their reputation is at stake! 

Gsaver1

I sent an email this evening to the Executive Assistant saying to send me a cheque or get it organised with the local Cats Protection charity shop to have the money at the shop for me to pick up. This has been going on since March and all I get from the Chief Executive and the Executive Assistant are empty promises. As above it makes you wonder what really happens with the money given to this charity these days. I wonder what the audit history is with this charity.   

sheramber

you can check them out on the Charity Commission website

KxMx

I'm a CP volunteer and I'm really sorry that the cat wasn't advertised correctly and that you are having such difficulties getting your refund, both issues are really unacceptable. 

I know you have been in touch with the Cheif Exec, you might find it useful to know each branch has a regional branch area manager, you could ask for their details to see if they can sort it out for you.

You could also try following the complaints process over the mis advertising and lack of refund:

https://www.cats.org.uk/find-us/complaints-process

ladyholly

Social media is the way to go in my opinion. Their tardiness is totally unacceptable so they should be named and shamed.I realise they are a charity so if you dont want to go the social media route you could try the charity ombudsman.

Gsaver1

Still waiting for my refund. Been in touch with another person regarding the refund but she hasn't had any luck either in getting my money to me. 

I have had another email from the Executive Assistant saying if the cheque hasn't come through within the next seven days please email me again and I will chase up. Sent an email saying no funds through and heard nothing back, the message was sent Sunday past.

Just totally astonished at how incompetent this charity is. Send a cheque to me, conclude this matter for me, then go and have a route and branch review as to why this issue wasn't rectified in a more timely manner.

Lavendyr

I understand your frustration but you make it sound as though it is a business transaction, not the rehoming of a kitty who needs a loving home.

I understand that the issue is that you agreed to adopt a 2 year old cat and were in fact asked to adopt a 14 year old. That is unacceptable. So is the delay in refunding. 

Is there any particular reason why you wouldn't rehome the older kitty though? Was it the same kitty, just with a different age? My sympathy is mainly with the poor cat in this situation who has been back and forth and still doesn't have a loving home. And I speak from experience with an unexpected cat. 

Mnoee

Not the OP, but I couldn't emotionally cope with an older cat who'd only be with me for a short time, especially after losing a different pet. Everyone has different strengths and weaknesses when it comes to adopting a pet - the rescue should be matching the right cats to the right people. My local cats protection has a waiting list multiple months long for new intake at the moment (as I found out trying to get help with a stray!) - there are plenty of cats waiting to be adopted. Hopefully OP gets their refund and finds the right one for them, if they haven't already. 

Gsaver1

I'm glad to say that I have got my refund.