SCAA FAQ

1. I have just found an abandoned kitten/puppy. Will you take it? Is there somewhere to take the animal? What should I do?

2. I can’t afford medical care for the animal I found. What should I do?

3. I have visited the pet markets, wet food markets, Shanghai Zoo, wildlife parks, etc. and have been sickened by the conditions there. Is there anything SCAA can do to stop these practices?

4. I am bringing in (or taking out my pet from) to Shanghai. Moving companies seem to be very expensive. Can I do this on my own instead?

5. You often advise using PAW animal clinic, but they seem expensive compared to some of the local vets. Can you recommend other clinics?

6. I have found an abandoned kitten/puppy but have other pets. I am willing to adopt/foster it, but am worried about the healthy of my own pets. What should I do?

7. My pets have just arrived in Shanghai. What diseases do I need to worry about most?

8. What do I officially need to do to take an animal out of China?

9. If I bring home a stray animal, what diseases do I need to be worried about most?

10. Where can I buy pet supplies, food and litter?

11. How do I donate money to SCAA?

12. I would like to volunteer but cannot donate money, what else can I do?

13. Can I, or my company, sponsor an event?

14. I am a teacher (or student); can my school (class) get involved?

15. What gifts-in-kind do you need the most?

16. Is there any shelter in Shanghai I can bring an animal to?

17. Are there any pet clubs in Shanghai I can join?

18. How big is the abandoned cat/dog problem in Shanghai?

19. What kind of volunteers do you need the most?

20. Can children volunteer?

1. I have just found an abandoned kitten/puppy. Will you take it? Is there somewhere to take the animal? What should I do?

SCAA is NOT an animal shelter. We facilitate finding abandoned animals foster homes and adopted homes, but if you pick up an abandoned animal it becomes YOUR responsibility completely. We do not accept physical delivery of any animal nor do we have a physical address for you to deliver an animal to, and none of the projects we support have room for new animals. If you find an abandoned animal, we can help you first get medical care at a discount, and over time try to help you place the animal in foster care (but foster parents are very limited) or get it adopted out. In terms of medical care, we have generous sponsorship by PAW veterinary clinic under which they will provide an initial check-up of SCAA sponsored animals for RMB 100, plus full cost for medical care. If the animal is healthy, we can help you try to foster/adopt it. If it is very sick, the animal may need to be euthanized. If you are not willing to face the possibility of euthanizing an animal, we cannot help you. If the animal is healthy, you will need to take care of it until SCAA can find a foster parent or adoptive home. You are also welcome to bring your healthy animal to our twice monthly adoption days (for more information, please see our events calendar), and to post the animal’s photo/description on our website please contact us. Please note that if you bring an animal to an Adoption Day and it is NOT adopted out, you will need to take it home with you.

If you are a third party (eg. Not a SCAA foster parent) that has an animal you would like to adopt out, we can help you but if we do adopt out your animal at our Adoption Day, we require a minimum donation of RMB 500. This is because if we adopt out YOUR animal, we adopt out one fewer of our own fostered animals; we are providing a very convenient service for third parties, but this lessens the success for our own foster parents who often give months of their energy, funding and love to heal an animal and provide a loving home until we successfully find a permanent home. All third party animals must be healthy and spayed/neutered (or RMB 500 provided for spay/neutering). Third party attendance at our Adoption Day must be approved in advance by our foster care director

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2. I can’t afford medical care for the animal I found. What should I do?

On a case-by-case basis, we will consider sponsoring medical care for abandoned animals if we believe the intentions of the person taking in the animal are sincere. We may be willing to pay for the RMB 100 check-up at PAW, plus medical costs, once we have evaluated the specific case, and if there is the possibility that SCAA will seek foster care/adoption for the animal.

3. I have visited the pet markets, wet food markets, Shanghai Zoo, wildlife parks, etc. and have been sickened by the conditions there. I have read about the “culling” of thousands of domestic companion animals throughout China in response to the threat of rabies and the murder of dogs and cats for the food/fur trade. Is there anything SCAA can do to stop these practices?

These are issues much larger than such a small organization as SCAA can take on. These are issues that only the Chinese government can change from the top down. It is when policies change, animal protection laws are implemented and enforced that animal conditions in China overall will improve. This takes time and education, but it is slowly happening...remember it wasn't so long ago in Western countries that animals did not, and in most areas of the world still do not, have legal rights for protection. There are more and more local people who are starting to have pets for the first time, and conditions will indeed change. It may take a generation or two, but animal conditions will improve; that is why we are targeting the primary education system with information on general pet care, compassion for animals and the absolute need for spaying/neutering-it is today's children that will change the future, in all respects, here in China and worldwide.
Please remember that SCAA is a very small volunteer organization based in Shanghai and our primary mandate is to rescue, heal and rehome companion animals. We are doing our best to educate Chinese people through informative brochures printed in Chinese and we also hope to translate our website soon. An ambitious goal is to provide these brochures to as many schools and Chinese veterinarians as possible and place this valuable information in public spaces accessible to all pet owners. Printing and distributing bilingual pet-care information costs a lot of money…money we do not have. We depend solely on donations from animal lovers to get the animals we find healthy and adoptable. The overwhelming number of daily calls to SCAA asking for help with an abandoned animal is hard to imagine. Sadly, we do not have the foster parents or the funds to help everyone…only a small handful. Further, we are all volunteers and exhausted daily with our current efforts.
Provinces such as Yunnan, where dog culling has recently occurred, are many hours away by air and China is an extremely large country. We can’t do everything for everybody…but we can continue to grow in Shanghai and hope that through PayPal donations, we can expand and educate to the best of our ability. If through your enquiries you would like to help us, please donate.
For more information about on the issues listed in FAQ #3, we suggest you contact animal protection agencies in your own countries. Many of these are carrying out campaigns to stop the culling of companion animals, the food/fur trade, trade in endangered species, cruelty to animals in general and have pro-active pet care education projects (eg. International Fund for Animal Welfare: www.ifaw.org ; Animals Asia: www.animalsasia.org ; the UK RSPCA: www.rspca.org.uk ,etc .

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4. I am bringing in (or taking out my pet from) to Shanghai. Moving companies seem to be very expensive. Can I do this on my own instead?

You can do this on your own, but we don’t recommend it. There is paperwork, bureaucracy and connections on both ends of a move that most individuals do not know how to make work smoothly. A mistake, or creating a disgruntled customs official, can result in your pet sitting extra days in unknown surroundings (and you possibly not being allowed to see the animal). We always advise using a professional pet moving company that is well experienced and well connected at all levels on how to make a move for your pet as painless as possible.

For more information on bringing your pet to China or advice on proffesional services please contact: petimport@scaashanghai.org

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5. You often advise using PAW animal clinic, but they seem expensive compared to some of the local vets. Can you recommend other clinics?

Quite literally, you usually get what you pay for in terms of veterinary care here in Shanghai. We simply find that PAW offers the best veterinary care, meeting strict western standards for diagnosis and medicine use. Many of the other veterinary clinics are not very good and we have heard many horror stories. If anyone has a veterinary clinic they would like to recommend, we would be glad to post this information on our website, but to date only PAW has met our standards to recommend to our members and to the general public. We also have very generous sponsorship from PAW, which offers initial check-ups for SCAA-sponsored animals for RMB 100 plus medical costs.

PAW Contact Information:
No. 15, 722 Xin Hua Lu, Shanghai
PAW Phone: 5254-0611
After Hours Emergency: 13816685486
Website: www.paw-vet.com
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6. I have found an abandoned kitten/puppy but have other pets. I am willing to adopt/foster it, but am worried about the healthy of my own pets. What should I do?

Any abandoned animal you find should be immediately isolated from your own pets as there is no way of knowing what diseases they might carry before you take them in for a check-up. Isolate the animal in a bathroom or small room, with clean water, food in a container not used by your own pets, and with a towel to cover the floor. Your clothing can carry infectious disease, as well as your hands. So use an apron, different shoes and wash your hands every time you enter and leave the isolation room. Plan for a check-up as soon as possible. The veterinarian will let you know if the animal is healthy and can be placed with your own pets or if it needs further isolation/medication, or if it is too sick to be placed with your pets and may need to be euthanized. If you take in an animal that is healthy, but you cannot keep it because your own pets do not accept it, then please contact us and we will try to help you foster/adopt it out.
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7. My pets have just arrived in Shanghai. What diseases do I need to worry about most?

According to PAW Veterinary Clinic, rabies vaccinations are required to enter China. If a dog, you need to get the updated dog cocktail (DHPPI and L) yearly vaccination, leptospirosis vaccination is not given in some areas but it is advisable to have this vaccination in china. You should provide annual check-ups for your pet. For cats, rabies and the tri-cat vaccination are required to enter China. There is currently no feline leukemia vaccination available in China. The situation about feline aids is unclear but PAW veterinarians discovered their first case recently with a male stray cat from the jinqiao district of PuDong; thus any adult stray sponsored by SCAA will in the future require the specific blood test for this disease (as should you if you take in an adult stray). If your cat goes outside, it is at risk. Heartworm prevention is important but has not been seen by PAW in Shanghai yet. However, the weather is sufficiently warm and there are mosquitos so if you haven’t started heartworm prevention with your pet, you need to carry out a test and then start monthly medication from March to November. Finally, make sure your pet does not eat food or garbage from the street as there a number of sicknesses/diseases your animal can catch (along with possible poisoning).

Bathing: A common problem in China is bathing one’s pet too often. PAW recommends just using a water spray when your dog needs it; shampoo only if they are really dirty. In summertime, many dogs in Shanghai suffer from skin problems, and if you bath your dog too often, you deplete the natural oils that protect their skin in humid and warm weather. See "Baby and Her Baths"
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8. What do I officially need to do to take an animal out of China?

When you are leaving China, be aware that the government here does not recognize rabies shots given by private veterinarians. Cat registration is not required. A few months before departure, check with your veterinarian about current China government requirements prior to departure; for your own country; check with your embassy/consulate. One month before you leave, you need to get the government rabies vaccination and 7 days before you leave you will need to get a government-approved health certificate. When traveling to Europe or Japan this can be a much longer and involved process. So if you find out about import export requirements for your potential travel options early, then you will suffer fewer problems later on.

9. If I bring home a stray animal, what diseases do I need to be worried about most?

Rabies is #1 for both animal and human health. Dogs often have a 2-6 month incubation period. Cats show more neurological symptoms (they become more quiet, weak, and then they die fast). Rabies is a very unpredictable disease so erring on the side of caution is always best for you and your family’s health.

For a new animal, a check-up is crucial and they should always be isolated for at least 10 days. Many abandoned kittens suffer from coughing and sneezing. Puppies can have distemper, trouble breathing, diarrhea, or vomiting. If any of these symptoms appear, bring the animal to a veterinarian immediately. “Revolution” treatment should be given (for fleas, mites, worms) for kittens/puppies at 6 weeks old or older.

Rabies vaccination should be given at three months of age for puppies/kittens; tri-cat for kittens from 9 weeks and 12 weeks (two shots); DHPPIL for puppies, 8-9 weeks, and then a month later (2 shots).
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10. Where can I buy pet supplies, food and litter?

You can buy most of your pet supply needs at the veterinary clinic you use. Even local grocery stores, as well as the larger chains, carry basic cat/dog food and cat litter, but only the better known veterinary clinics will sell higher quality animal food.

11. How do I donate money to SCAA?

You can donate via our PayPal account and donate by credit card.You can also make wire transformation donations on our website via the generous use of the local Roots & Shoots bank account. You can make cash donations directly at our monthly meetings, adoption days or by contacting the founder. Our accounting is completely transparent and you are welcome to request a copy of our monthly accountings at any time. SCAA is completely staffed by volunteers; there are no overheads or salaries paid, thus every RMB or dollar/Euro you donate, is used only for animal medical care, logistical use (i.e. animal transportation, cages/carriers, etc.) or for educational purposes.
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12. I would like to volunteer but cannot donate money, what else can I do?

SCAA welcomes volunteers! For more information, please see the "How Can You Help" section of this website. We desperately need more foster parents (see "Foster an Animal" for more details) and volunteers to lead groups to our sponsored facility in Baoshan on Sunday mornings. Please contact us if you are interested.

13. Can I, or my company, sponsor an event?

Absolutely. We are open to any and all suggestions for corporate or individual financial or event sponsorship. For more information, contact

14. I am a teacher (or student); can my school (class) get involved?

Definitely! We have already had many visits from classrooms to our various projects to play/wash/walk animals (children starting at even age 5-6 can volunteer!). We are actively sponsored by Roots & Shoots groups and many classes are carrying out fundraising and sponsorship projects. If your school, teachers or children are interested in volunteering, or doing fundraising projects, please contact us for more information. Please note that children under 12 must be accompanied by a parent or teacher (not a SCAA volunteer). SCAA only works with projects where all animals have been vaccinated against rabies, however, all Scaa volunteers should note that SCAA will not be held responsible for their personal safety at any time. To this end, teachers visiting SCAA projects must sign a waiver.

15. What gifts-in-kind do you need the most?

Our priority is a full-time donated van to transport animals to/from medical care, as well to transport humans to/from projects! Other welcomed donations include pet food, cat litter, used warm clothing (to make cat beds), towels, animal medicines and toys, etc.
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16. Is there any shelter in Shanghai I can bring an animal to?

No.

17. Are there any pet clubs in Shanghai I can join?

There are several local pet websites (in Chinese) but no reputable expatriate pet clubs that we know of in Shanghai.

18. How big is the abandoned cat/dog problem in Shanghai?

It’s huge and currently unmanageable. There are no proper estimates, but the homeless cat problem is much larger than dogs (ie. Dogs are much easier to catch and are quickly put down if the owner does not claim it after 48 hours). There are probably hundreds of thousands stray kittens/cats in Shanghai. We simply cannot help them all, but we believe in helping as much as we can, one animal at a time.

19. What kind of volunteers do you need the most?

We desperately need enthusiastic volunteers to take over some of the monthly event management and to become foster care parents.

20. Can children volunteer?

Absolutely. The animals we support are all very sweet tempered and we have had very young children come to play, walk with and groom the cats and dogs. Education and compassion can never start too early!
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