FAQ's

 Q. Are there any no-kill animal shelters in Lyon or Pershing counties?
A. No. The regions only no-kill shelters are in Washoe counties but are usually only available to residents of that county.

Q. Does ARGONN deal with both cats and dogs?
A. Yes. However, because there are services and facilities more readily available to dogs, ARGONN concentrates its efforts on community cats. We will always intervene where the life of a dog is threatened or in jeopardy based on information received from a local Animal Shelter, or in a situation where there is no other help forthcoming. If nothing else, we will make every attempt to provide details of possible resources to place the dog in a breed-specific rescue facility or permanent home. 

Q. What is the difference between a ‘feral’ and an ‘abandoned’ cat?
A. Typically a feral cat is one that will not tolerate any human contact, but will eat the food that is set out for it. An abandoned cat may be shy at first, but will usually warm up to human overtures of kindness and affection.

Q. Can ARGONN provide food to help in the care of abandoned or rescued domestic dogs and cats?
A. Yes. We will do our best to help with food, as well as posting the dog or cat for adoption on our Facebook page. Successful adoption may depend on spay/neuter of the dog or cat – we cannot guarantee financial assistance for veterinary expenses.

Q. Can ARGONN assist with food supplies for feral cat colonies?
A. Yes. However, we will expect the colony manager to agree to participate in our TNR program to promote the healthy existence of the colony without an ever increasing population.

Q. I know someone who takes care of abandoned cats. Will ARGONN help with food and/or spay/neuter?
A. ARGONN does not support an individual that my be categorized as a ‘hoarder’. However, if someone is taking care of domestic cats of unknown origin that are living on his/her property, ARGONN may be able to provide supplemental food until the cat(s) are successfully adopted to permanent homes. Spay/neuter is expected and ARGONN may be able to offer financial assistance if funds are available. ARGONN may recommend relinquishing the cat(s) to a no-kill shelter facility such as the Nevada Humane Society in Reno.

Q. Why won’t the Lyon County or City of Fernley animal control officers deal with abandoned or feral cats?
A. There is no ordinance within Lyon County or the various townships that either obligate or authorize them to do so.

Q. Will the Fernley animal control department provide humane traps to residents for capturing feral animals?
A. Yes, they are available after paying a fully refundable deposit.

Q. What can I do to assist ARGONN in accomplishing its mission?
A. You can contact us and one of our associates will be happy to fully discuss how you can become meaningfully involved.

Q. What about traps and transport for feral cats?
A. ARGONN will loan traps as long as they are carefully monitored for trapped cats and arrangements have been made for transport to a veterinary clinic. An agreement must be reached for the release of the animal back to its colony after surgery.

Q. How do I identify a feral cat that has been spayed/neutered?
A. Most veterinarians who perform this surgery will clip off the tip of the left ear to easily identify the cat in the future.

Q. The person who has been caring for abandoned cats is moving and cannot take the cats with them – what can ARGONN do to help?
A. ARGONN and its associates must always be vigilant of trespassing on private property and the legal rights of the owner of that property. If someone moves out, we do not have the right to assume animal care efforts. If we are given enough notice, we may be able to post the details of the cat(s) on an adoption site like Adoptapet. If no notice is given, we may not be able to help at all, particularly if the landowner either cannot be reached or is unwilling to grant permission for access to the property. Our only recourse may be to advise the caregiver to approach neighbors to see if they are willing to assume the care of the cat(s) while we try to find a suitable foster home pending a permanent adoption.

Q. How do I adopt a pet through ARGONN?
A. ARGONN will ask you to complete an Adoption Application and once approved, an  Adoption Contract will follow with the payment of an adoption fee.  ARGONN will reserve the right to refuse adoption of any pet, at any time.

Q. How can I become a ‘Foster Home’ with ARGONN?
A. You will provide us with all your details by filling out our Foster Home Agreement and agree to be added to our list of ‘foster parents’. We will need to know how many animals you can foster at any one time, and whether you prefer cats or dogs. Once registered with us, we will treat your ‘foster pets’ as a priority on our on-line listings, but in return we expect you to make every effort to find permanent homes for them too. We will assist you with food, spay/neuter, and care as funds are available, but will not hold ourselves responsible for these items.

Q. How do I use the Spay/Neuter Certificate?
A. If you are taking care of, fostering, or otherwise supporting an animal that you want to be recognized by ARGONN, we request that you complete the Certificate, along with your vet, as verification that the animal has been spayed/neutered and is therefore ready for adoption.

Q. What can I do to assist ARGONN in accomplishing it’s mission.
A. You may contact us and one of our associates will be happy to fully discuss how you can become meaningfully involved. Please click on the contact us icon for the appropriate contact information.

Q. What else can I do?
A. You can join our FACEBOOK PAGE to help get the word our about our services. …. CLICK HERE
You can also buy your pet supplies and products from Smile.Amazon.com because a small percentage of your purchase is donated to ARGONN if you specify us as your charity of choice. This is a great way to provide ARGONN with additional income to help rescue animals in need.