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Batavia Today
By the People, for the People
Ohio Shelter Shares Viral Adoption Form with Hilarious Cat Surrender Reason
The League for Animal Welfare in Batavia, Ohio, received an unexpected response from a potential adopter about why they might return a cat.
Published on Feb. 10, 2026
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An Ohio animal shelter has shared a delightfully unexpected answer from an adoption application—offering a moment of joy at a time when shelters across the U.S. remain under intense pressure. The League for Animal Welfare in Batavia, Ohio, posted a photo of a completed adoption form on Instagram, highlighting one particular response that caught staff completely off guard. The adopter's answer to the question about circumstances that might lead them to return or rehome a pet was brief and memorable: 'Cat turns out to be an undercover spy.'
Why it matters
The light-hearted moment struck a chord with animal lovers online, many praising the shelter for its sense of humor. But it also arrives against a serious backdrop for rescue organizations nationwide, as they continue to face capacity pressures and challenges in finding permanent homes for the millions of cats and dogs that enter shelters each year.
The details
The League for Animal Welfare in Batavia, Ohio, posted a photo of a completed adoption form on Instagram, highlighting one particular response that caught staff completely off guard. The form asked standard questions, including how a potential adopter would manage behavioral issues and what circumstances might lead them to return or rehome a pet. The adopter's answer to the latter was brief and memorable: 'Cat turns out to be an undercover spy.' The shelter shared the form with followers on Instagram, where it quickly racked up hundreds of likes.
- The adoption form was shared by the League for Animal Welfare in Batavia, Ohio, on February 10, 2026.
The players
The League for Animal Welfare
An animal shelter located in Batavia, Ohio, that shared the viral adoption form on Instagram.
Chip
A ginger and white cat at the center of the joke, who the shelter says might be a 'super spy' that they're keeping a close eye on.
What they’re saying
“One answer we received about returning a pet is officially going down in League history for best answer ever. Their answer? 'If the cat turns out to be an undercover spy.' Honestly? Best answer we've ever seen.”
— The League for Animal Welfare (Instagram)
The takeaway
This lighthearted moment from the Ohio animal shelter highlights the importance of adoption questionnaires in ensuring animals are placed in stable, long-term homes, even if the reasons for potentially returning a pet are unexpected and humorous. Despite the humor, the story also underscores the ongoing challenges facing animal rescue organizations nationwide as they work to find permanent homes for the millions of cats and dogs that enter shelters each year.
