We have people trained in my rescue to give vaccs. The only one the vet has to administer is rabies, since it's tied to licensing or something. The record of on our paperwork is a sticker off the tiny vaccine vial & an initial/date of the person who administered it. Kittens usually get at least 2 shots (4-in-1 vaccines) about a month apart, if I'm remembering correctly. Rabies is done after 12 weeks.
It's weird that she said she had to get it from the vet. It's possible she was confused if she isn't very well trained (not all of our fosters have been trained on adoption paperwork, for example). But that's why someone who *is* trained should handle it. They're giving their org a bad rep.
UPDATE #2: Now I'm a little confused. I just got an e-mail back from the foster with a PDF of two labels and dates of when the shots were given to kitty. But the foster is saying the adoption group gave them to her. In the e-mails and in person she was saying she had to get the records from the vet.
Doesn't this sound fishy? Why didn't the adoption peeps just give me this shit when I asked multiple times?
I think you need to be a bit more firm with her. "You told me multiple times that you had to get the records from the vet. But now you're saying these are from the rescue. Please tell me what, if any, veterinary care have you personally handled, and please get me the records by the end of the week. I really need to know what care kitty has had and hasn't had, and these continual delays are really getting frustrating."
I would also make sure the rescue knows that this foster caused delays and gave you misleading information. She's not representing the rescue very well, and they should know about it.
Post by suburbanzookeeper on Nov 15, 2012 3:01:02 GMT -5
Like Kore, for the dog & cat rescue I work with, I am able to do all vaccines except rabies & rattlesnake (we have a few other volunteers/foster parents who are able to do the same). The records always have the label from the vial(s) used for the vaccines, date given, my printed name, and signature. I've never had a problem producing these or having them accepted by vets or boarding. We also can insert microchips without a vet's supervision, so if that's done there's also a label that goes with the ID and what not. From our vets we get rabies, FELV/FIV testing, and spay/neuter certificates but if someone was already at the vet with the animal, the vet may or may not have given the vaccines - it's easy to get it mixed up, depending on the size of the rescue (the dog group places 300-400 dogs per year).
It seems strange that they're dragging their feet but again, as Kore pointed out, there's a chance that she may not be well versed in how post adoption matters go. For the dog rescue records come from our records keepers 10-14 days after adoption (once the contract has been processed & received). In the case of my own fosters, they get the originals at the time of adoption since records already has a digital copy (and I keep a digital as well). Most foster parents in my group do not do the same and are not involved in records keeping matters, so they'd be completely lost.
At this point I would go beyond the foster, she's not the appropriate person to contact in most cases. Call/email the main line, explain that you have been waiting for these records from the foster person but you need them ASAP for her vet appointment at XYZ time/date.