Rescue Review | FAQs

What is relinquishment?  This term generally refers to the act of an owner voluntarily giving up their pet to a rescue so that someone else can adopt it. May also be referred to as 'surrender', 'hand - in' or 'gift'. Reasons for relinquishment may include a change of living circumstances, allergy to pet or inability to provide proper care. 

How did you decide which questions to ask? By speaking to numerous individuals and professionals directly involved in rescue organisations to develop the questions that would be of most use to them. Questions may be added on request.

Will you tell the shelter/rescue who wrote the review? No. Although you must submit your email address and I may contact you for further detail/justification about your review, your information is not made public. Strict data-protection is adhered to.

Will you change my review?There is no editing of reviews unless unless discussed with the author first.

Are rescues/shelters notified when a review is published about them? If necessary, I contact the organisation being reviewed to gain clarification on a policy or their views on a particular comment prior to publishing a review. Rescues may request a breakdown of their feedback.

Can rescues respond to a review? Application to respond to a review may be made via the contacts page.

Can I review a shelter/rescue that is outside of the UK and Ireland? No sorry. This project is UK and Ireland only.

Do you screen or verify the reviews before they are posted? Yes. I personally read each review. I also have a checking system whereby I may contact the reviewer or shelter directly and request further information. I withhold all reviews that do not withstand scrutiny.

Is a drug/food/pet supply/insurance or other company financing Rescue Review? No. This is a project that I have personally developed and financed.

What are return rates? Finding someone to adopt an animal is a relatively easy task however finding the ‘right’ someone to adopt the ‘right’ animal is difficult, takes skill, knowledge and understanding. Organisations will often publish their adoption rates, but the really important figure is actually the return rate. This is when the animal is returned to the shelter/organisation because the situation has not worked out. There are different return rates for different species – cat return rates are low, small furries are the lowest etc. Organisations should be looking regularly at their return rates and focusing on how to reduce them.