HOW LONG HAS FORA BEEN OPERATING?
Our founder Marlene de Beer, opened FORA in August 2003.

WHAT DOES FORA ACTUALLY DO?
We offer a safe haven to abandoned, abused and unwanted animals and operate on the three "R's" principal - Rescue, Rehabilitate and Re-home. All animals in our care are vaccinated, dewormed, sterilised and micro-chipped when rehomed. No veterinary expense is spared to make an animals life more comfortable or to save a life. We also assist with sterilisations of animals in the informal settlement in our area, which in the long term will lessen the endless flow of puppies that make their way to FORA.

HOW LONG DOES THE ANIMAL STAY BEFORE IT IS EUTHANASED?
FORA is a no-kill shelter and if animals are not re-homed, they have a home for
life at our shelter.

ISN'T IT CRUEL KEEPING ANIMALS IN KENNELS FOREVER?
All of our residents have warm kennels and shelter, have food and fresh water, they are run out and exercised daily while their kennels are being cleaned and receive the best veterinary care. They are socialised with other dogs and have an endless supply of volunteers who spoil them and interact with them 7 days a week. We feel confident that this is more than most animals are afforded in private homes.

WHERE DO THEY ALL COME FROM?
We rescue many from open fields, starving in industrial areas or from properties where
owners have moved and abandoned their pets. Some are surrendered by people who are emigrating or moving into townhouses or have bought a puppy without knowing the breed requirements. Also older people moving into retirement villages and cannot take their pets, or when owners die and the family cannot take in additional animals. There are even a few who have suffered the consequence of their owners getting divorced.

DO YOU EVER FIND HOMES FOR ALL THESE ANIMALS?
Our current adoption rate is 80 dogs and 20 cats per month.

HOW DO I ADOPT A PET FROM FORA?
Visit the shelter and take time to walk through all the kennels and runs. We can advise on the history of the animal and the suitability to your family and home. A homecheck will be conducted before the animal is allowed to go home with you.

YOU HAVE SO MANY ANIMALS, WHY HOME-CHECK AND NOT JUST GIVE THEM AWAY?
A large percentage of our animals have suffered trauma (even if it means just having lost the family they once knew). Volunteers spend weeks and sometimes months rehabilitating and socialising these animals in readiness for re-homing. Simply placing an animal to ANY new home is not a measure of success. If we cannot ensure that the new owners are committing to lifelong love and care, it will be a hollow victory indeed.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO ADOPT?
The adoption fee for dogs or puppies is R350 (irrespective of breed, size or sex) and includes vaccination, deworming, sterilisation and a microchip. To adopt a cat or kitten costs R300 and includes vaccination, deworming and sterilisation. We also cover veterinary costs for a period of 3 weeks after adoption, should your animal become ill.

I WANT TO ADOPT BUT DON'T WANT THE ANIMAL STERILISED?
FORA'S sterilisation policy in non-negotiable.

It usually takes 6 weeks for the pecking order to be sorted out with existing animals, but if the situation is untenable, we insist on the dog or cat being returned to FORA. Under no circumstances may the animal be given away, passed along or taken to another shelter. Sometimes there is an unresolvable personality clash, and this does not mean that another animal would not be suitable for you, but at no time will you be left with an animal that is unsuitable, and therefore unwanted. Our doors are always open.

ARE YOUR ANIMALS HOUSE-TRAINED?
Most of our surrendered animals have been in home environments and therefore had a certain degree of housetraining. For others, who have lived most of their lives at the shelter, there is no INDOORS or OUTDOORS. Remember, that for any animal, a new environment is strange and stressful, so housetraining can only be encouraged by you, the new owner, with a simple reward system. Should you require assistance, we can offer a few simple guidelines, and remember puppies rely solely on you to teach them good toilet protocol. Smacking and shouting only leads to confusion for something completely natural.

CAN I BRING MY PET TO FORA FOR STERILISATION?
Unfortunately FORA does not have a resident Vet, but are fortunate enough to have a few private Vets who offer their services at a reduced rate to our shelter animals only. We would be in contravention of Veterinary Council rules to take in non-FORA animals.

WHERE DO YOUR FUNDS COME FROM?
We rely solely on the generosity of the public and the corporate sector. We also work constantly on fund raising initiatives, fetes, open days, jumble sales, debit order drives, SMS campaigns, food appeals and use any opportunity or idea to promote our cause and motivate support.

HOW DO I GET INVOLVED / VOLUNTEER / HELP?
FORA is run entirely by volunteers and there are many ways in which you can help. Pay us a visit and discuss your preferences and your strengths. Your area of expertise could be running the dogs, assisting with dipping, nursing the sick, fostering orphaned pups/kittens, finding new homes, helping with homechecks, raising funds, sourcing sponsors or products, collecting jumble, kennels or food, transporting animals to vet. The list is endless, you need to find your niche.