Make Lukemia and FIV tests part of the adoption process for Cats

A year and a half ago, we adopted two kittens from Long Beach Humane Society in Long Island, NY; we named them Monticore and Socks. Sadly, Monticore died two days ago, despite our best efforts to save him, due to FELV related complications. He was only a year and 5 months old. His brother Socks not only has FELV, but also has a grade III heart murmur (worst is grade IV), and although he is currently relatively healthy, his long term prognosis is not positive.

Long Beach Humane Society knew or should have known of these dangerous diseases that these kittens had. What the shelter did by letting them be adopted, without telling us of their conditions, is highly immoral and reprehensible. I had repeatedly asked that these guys be tested for FIV and FELV and was told that it was not necessary, since Long Beach knew where their mother came from and the mother had been tested for these diseases. However, every Vet that has examined Monticore and Socks, has informed us that they contracted Lukemia at birth. Once we learned of their condition, we have done everything possible to try to prolong their life, such as providing a stress free environment and keeping them away from anything that might exacerbate their condition.

Long Beach basically lied to us about the test results. When we spoke to Stacy* (their foster mother) about getting them tested for fiv and felv, she said that she would speak to someone at Long Beach about this matter. Subsequently, I distinctly remember having conversations with Stacy, Janet* or both, where I was told that testing them was not necessary and that even if they had FELV, which they did not, many cats have this condition and it wouldn't effect their health. Every doctor (and we have been to a lot of vets) has shaken their heads in disbelief when learning that we adopted these poor kitties from a shelter that never bothered running any tests on them.

Our pets, our babies who should have lived for years, have had to spend a lot of time in hospitals, being poked around with needles or getting medications.

By signing this petition, you can take steps to ensure that shelters make the tests for FIV, FELV and a physical exam, part of their standard operating procedure. Letting pets be adopted out without testing for these diseases, not only puts all your pets life in danger (Felv is highly contagious among cats), but also sets up the adoptee for expensive medical bills and heartbreak. There is a simple test for FELV that would have detected this in both Monticore and Socks, and a physical exam would have shown that Socks had a major heart murmur.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.