Here’s my experience regarding the following statement from KittyKind's Newsletter.
KittyKind’s Newsletter stated that:
KittyKind’s Newsletter stated that:
“The TNR (trap, neuter, release) initiative has allowed feral cats to remain in a familiar environment without multiplying, but a resolution for rescued cats with behavior issues is more problematic. There are limited quality homes and sanctuaries and most are at capacity. Nevertheless, KK has responded to this dilemma by developing a permanent, long-term care program for our unadoptable cats. Your contribution is most needed this year as the cost of maintaining this program rose dramatically due to the escalation of commodity prices such as food and fuel. We greatly appreciate contributions made specifically to this program.”
Question: What is capacity? 30; 40; 50 cats per home? Are you saying that KK is now doing TNR? To my knowledge KK never did TNR - all their cats came from CACC; intakes for a fee or cats dumped in the store.
My experience with KittyKind is that a resolution for rescued cats with behavior issues has always been problematic for KittyKind who I took to court in 2007 when they fleeced me for $25,000 for just these same type of cats who along with behavior problems had medical problems that KittyKind’s then Director, Marlene Kess, kept promising would be reimbursed when their Petco grant was received at the end of 2005.
Are they referring to behavior problems that make them "unadoptable?"
I received reassurances for 2 years while still fostering cats with no provisions for food, litter or medical care and finally approached their new director, Hilary Harris, who claimed to know nothing about the situation.
Hilary Harris, who drove me home with cats in her car for purposes of fostering, claimed to know nothing of this situation?!
Hilary who often told me they couldn't take a cat back because it was "unadoptable?"
Their next position was that KittyKind had no policy to pay for fostering, that they never paid for foster care. While I never charged for the actual care of the cats:
Cleaning their ears
clipping their claws
making sure they were fed
watching their health
Giving them meds
I never charged for boarding (warehousing) the cats or giving them love and attention, it is ridiculous to think that at over 50 cats and 10 litterboxes I should not receive reimbursement for at least expenses such as food and litter.
The medical care was simply solved by telling me to “take him to your vet and we’ll reimburse you”.
Why take him to my vet:
- Because their vet was in Manhattan, total travel time with sick animal 1 ½ hours each way;
- Because their vet was sometimes closed during a time when the animal needed immediate veterinary care and because my vet was more convenient.
Why take him to my vet:
- Because their vet was in Manhattan, total travel time with sick animal 1 ½ hours each way;
- Because their vet was sometimes closed during a time when the animal needed immediate veterinary care and because my vet was more convenient.
Has anyone heard all this before?
When I took this group to court, no foster papers had been signed by me because of my trust in Marlene Kess and Hilary Harris. I believed I was helping an honorable organization to save these poor animals. However, no paperwork had been kept by KittyKind and the Judge had to dismiss the case.
The Judge made it clear to their attorney in my presence that he believed KittyKind had taken advantage of me.
The Judge made it clear to their attorney in my presence that we had just been to trial and that I could use the information any way I chose to. I let him know that I would be educating the public.
KittyKind was given support by the Mayor’s Alliance whose President, Jane Hoffman, said at what I thought was a Mediation meeting, “We’re not paying any of the bills for 2004.” (We? And who gave her the authority to make that statement?)
Why were we ever at the meeting? I had made it clear that I wanted to recoup my money from 2004. This mediation was actually a stunt to delay going to court.
They then agreed to pay for the following 6 months of food and litter while the cats remained in what was at this point KittyKind’s hostage shelter.
Basically, “going forward” meant no reimbursement, just that they’ll pay going forward as they should have in 2004 as they promised and for the four years prior (which I did not charge them for and for which I spent close to $12,000). My home was at capacity in 2005 with over 50 cats when my Landlord threatened to evict me. KittyKind’s response: When I took them to court their lawyer demanded to see a copy of the Eviction Letter sent to me by my Landlord. Why? Did they think I was lying in order to get the cats out of my apartment? Did I really have to go to such lengths to justify giving them back their cats?
At that time Cathy Cristel, who was the secretary showed up at one of the hearings and perjured herself by saying to the Judge and to the KittyKind attorney that I had signed a contract at mediation with the Mayor’s Alliance clearing KittyKind of the $25,000 obligation (first they claimed it had been a personal loan to Marlene Kess). When the Judge requested a copy of this contract, KittyKind could not produce it – because it never happened!
Maintaining this program rose dramatically when 2 ex board members apparently wanted to be given food, litter and medical care for the many cats they still had in their homes. I know for a fact, that these two ex board members had (still have?) feline leukemia cats, fiv cats and cats with other medical problems. One of these ex Board Members came by every Sunday to get $200 in cash. I SAW THIS. So KittyKind must now be paying for their expenses.
Do they now pay ALL foster care people or just certain Special people? KittyKind has a way of changing the truth to suit their version of life. In a letter to the Attorney General’s office in December 31, 2006 they claimed not to have correct paperwork for their taxes because, “Difficult circumstances in 2005 led to the resignation of the former President who managed the organization’s financials affairs.” That's one way to soft peddle Marlene Kess' conviction for 48 counts of animal neglect/abuse.
How can they justify not knowing about KittyKind's financial affairs? Was the President of KittyKind also the Treasurer and Secretary? All Board Members are supposed to be on the same page – was Marlene Kess running KittyKind alone? “Difficult circumstances” is KittyKind’s vague way of dancing around the truth to avoid saying that Marlene Kess was convicted of animal abuse and was forced to resign.
Today their newsletter calls these cats unadoptable and they say they've developed programs for permanent, long-term care. What programs are these? This Long-term care program sounds a lot like fostering an unadoptable cat until a home can be found for it. What kind of contradiction is that?
You think you’re helping to domesticate the animal and when you try to return it to them are told, “he’s not adoptable and we have no place else to put him”. This is exactly what happened to me except now KittyKind admits it’s a problem.
Could it be that people are asking more questions and demanding more accountability? How many “foster” homes are out there with unadoptable cats? Are you paying for all the food, litter and medical care and is KittyKind posting it as a program expense?
So, for program expenses on all their 990s - if KittyKind was not paying for cat food, litter and the vet care that I paid out, did they list it as donated services? I took them to court - clearly this was not a donation. This has been in the thousands of dollars for years not just for me but I’m sure for others deceived by KittyKind’s foster “program”.
Google "KittyKind Complaints"; and "Marlene Kess". So much is posted by other sources - they can't all have an ax to grind.
My website posts more about the court hearings and their shameful conduct: http://mysite.verizon.net/vzeyfg4f/kittycatfosterpitfalls
Read KittyKind’s 990’s on the Attorney General’s website. Compare the numbers. I doubt you’ll want to have anything to do with this less than transparent organization
While you have a moment, sign the petition for Marlene Kess to complete her community service in NJ. The Judge needs to know that people feel she should not get off with just a fine. Her group Kensington Kitties was recently a topic of controversy on another forum (Brooklynian.com) because cats and kittens were panting in 90 degree weather and when someone complained about it that person became the focus of rabid responses. (those are the words of one person on the site). Marlene's lackys grumbled that the woman should have offered her ice for the cats. That's originally one of the charges for which Marlene was convicted - 48 cats in a hot house with inadequate ventilation on a hot day.
Do the animals a favor:
Sign the petition http://www.thepetitionsite.com/petition/896311889
When I took this group to court, no foster papers had been signed by me because of my trust in Marlene Kess and Hilary Harris. I believed I was helping an honorable organization to save these poor animals. However, no paperwork had been kept by KittyKind and the Judge had to dismiss the case.
The Judge made it clear to their attorney in my presence that he believed KittyKind had taken advantage of me.
The Judge made it clear to their attorney in my presence that we had just been to trial and that I could use the information any way I chose to. I let him know that I would be educating the public.
KittyKind was given support by the Mayor’s Alliance whose President, Jane Hoffman, said at what I thought was a Mediation meeting, “We’re not paying any of the bills for 2004.” (We? And who gave her the authority to make that statement?)
Why were we ever at the meeting? I had made it clear that I wanted to recoup my money from 2004. This mediation was actually a stunt to delay going to court.
They then agreed to pay for the following 6 months of food and litter while the cats remained in what was at this point KittyKind’s hostage shelter.
Basically, “going forward” meant no reimbursement, just that they’ll pay going forward as they should have in 2004 as they promised and for the four years prior (which I did not charge them for and for which I spent close to $12,000). My home was at capacity in 2005 with over 50 cats when my Landlord threatened to evict me. KittyKind’s response: When I took them to court their lawyer demanded to see a copy of the Eviction Letter sent to me by my Landlord. Why? Did they think I was lying in order to get the cats out of my apartment? Did I really have to go to such lengths to justify giving them back their cats?
At that time Cathy Cristel, who was the secretary showed up at one of the hearings and perjured herself by saying to the Judge and to the KittyKind attorney that I had signed a contract at mediation with the Mayor’s Alliance clearing KittyKind of the $25,000 obligation (first they claimed it had been a personal loan to Marlene Kess). When the Judge requested a copy of this contract, KittyKind could not produce it – because it never happened!
Maintaining this program rose dramatically when 2 ex board members apparently wanted to be given food, litter and medical care for the many cats they still had in their homes. I know for a fact, that these two ex board members had (still have?) feline leukemia cats, fiv cats and cats with other medical problems. One of these ex Board Members came by every Sunday to get $200 in cash. I SAW THIS. So KittyKind must now be paying for their expenses.
Do they now pay ALL foster care people or just certain Special people? KittyKind has a way of changing the truth to suit their version of life. In a letter to the Attorney General’s office in December 31, 2006 they claimed not to have correct paperwork for their taxes because, “Difficult circumstances in 2005 led to the resignation of the former President who managed the organization’s financials affairs.” That's one way to soft peddle Marlene Kess' conviction for 48 counts of animal neglect/abuse.
How can they justify not knowing about KittyKind's financial affairs? Was the President of KittyKind also the Treasurer and Secretary? All Board Members are supposed to be on the same page – was Marlene Kess running KittyKind alone? “Difficult circumstances” is KittyKind’s vague way of dancing around the truth to avoid saying that Marlene Kess was convicted of animal abuse and was forced to resign.
Today their newsletter calls these cats unadoptable and they say they've developed programs for permanent, long-term care. What programs are these? This Long-term care program sounds a lot like fostering an unadoptable cat until a home can be found for it. What kind of contradiction is that?
You think you’re helping to domesticate the animal and when you try to return it to them are told, “he’s not adoptable and we have no place else to put him”. This is exactly what happened to me except now KittyKind admits it’s a problem.
Could it be that people are asking more questions and demanding more accountability? How many “foster” homes are out there with unadoptable cats? Are you paying for all the food, litter and medical care and is KittyKind posting it as a program expense?
So, for program expenses on all their 990s - if KittyKind was not paying for cat food, litter and the vet care that I paid out, did they list it as donated services? I took them to court - clearly this was not a donation. This has been in the thousands of dollars for years not just for me but I’m sure for others deceived by KittyKind’s foster “program”.
Google "KittyKind Complaints"; and "Marlene Kess". So much is posted by other sources - they can't all have an ax to grind.
My website posts more about the court hearings and their shameful conduct: http://mysite.verizon.net/vzeyfg4f/kittycatfosterpitfalls
Read KittyKind’s 990’s on the Attorney General’s website. Compare the numbers. I doubt you’ll want to have anything to do with this less than transparent organization
While you have a moment, sign the petition for Marlene Kess to complete her community service in NJ. The Judge needs to know that people feel she should not get off with just a fine. Her group Kensington Kitties was recently a topic of controversy on another forum (Brooklynian.com) because cats and kittens were panting in 90 degree weather and when someone complained about it that person became the focus of rabid responses. (those are the words of one person on the site). Marlene's lackys grumbled that the woman should have offered her ice for the cats. That's originally one of the charges for which Marlene was convicted - 48 cats in a hot house with inadequate ventilation on a hot day.
Do the animals a favor:
Sign the petition http://www.thepetitionsite.com/petition/896311889
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