Leaving a legacy can help end the suffering of outdoor cats. Thanks to the generosity of animal lovers and supporters who planned ahead and designated legacies to combat cat overpopulation, the BC SPCA is able to address the suffering of tens of thousands of outdoor-living cats in B.C.
“Through the BC SPCA Community Animal Spay Neuter grant, now in its fourth year, we can support communities across the province working to address the community cat population through spay and neuter initiatives,” says Geoff Urton, BC SPCA senior manager, stakeholder relations. “When the community comes together to address the issue, we see real, tangible results.”
This year the BC SPCA received a record number of applications from communities working to help solve the overpopulation crisis in their local areas. All of the funds go directly toward covering the cost of spay/neuter surgeries and permanent identification for more than 800 cats and rabbits.
Free-roaming cats suffer from starvation, illness, injury, freezing temperatures and predator attacks because of human neglect. “Having thousands of homeless kittens and cats in British Columbia has serious consequences for the welfare of the many animals who are threatened, abandoned or relinquished throughout B.C. every year,” Urton notes, “Preventing unwanted litters through spaying and neutering is the most effective and humane approach to solving the problem.”
A total of $70,000 from several legacies designated to the spaying or neutering of nearly 800 cats and rabbits will go toward many partner charities, and nonprofit organizations, including the BC SPCA to help address the cat overpopulation crisis. They are (in alphabetical order):
- Alleycats Alliance Society (charity) – Penticton
- BC SPCA Kamloops & District (charity) – Kamloops
- BC SPCA Kelowna (charity) – Kelowna
- BC SPCA Prince Rupert (charity) – Prince Rupert
- BC SPCA Shuswap (charity) – Salmon Arm
- BC SPCA South Okanagan-Similkameen (charity) – Penticton
- Canadian Animal Assistance Team (charity) – Ahousaht First Nation, Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation
- CatNap Society (charity) – Nanaimo
- City of Merritt (municipality)- Merritt
- Coastal Animal Rescue & Education (CARE) Network (non-profit)- Tofino
- Creston Veterinary Hospital (veterinarian)- Creston
- Dee’s Orphan Kitten Fund (charity) – Victoria
- Fernie Pets Society (charity) – Fernie
- Hillside Veterinary Hospital (veterinarian) – Victoria
- Kitty Cat P.A.L. Society (charity) – Black Creek
- Nanoose Bay Catspan (charity) – Nanoose Bay
- Northern Animal Rescue Alliance Society (charity) – Terrace
- Okanagan Humane Society (charity) – Kelowna
- Quadra Island Cat Rescue (charity) – Heriot Bay
- Westbank First Nation (First Nation Reserve) – Kelowna
“As a non-profit organization, the BC SPCA relies mainly on donations from the public. These legacy funds will help us immensely in reaching our goal of stopping the province’s pet overpopulation crisis in its tracks,” Urton says.