Groups addressing community cats and cats living in First Nation communities are receiving much needed support through the BC SPCA Community Animal Spay/Neuter grant.
“Remote areas of British Columbia, such as North Island, the Chilcotin region and the Northern Interior are benefiting from our grant program this year,” says Marieke van der Velden, outreach specialist at the BC SPCA. “These are areas that struggle with access to vet care, so we are excited to be able to support groups who provide access to these resources.”
All of the funds go directly towards covering the cost of spay/neuter surgeries and permanent pet identification, helping groups address both community cat colonies and cats living on First Nations land. The program is currently in its eight year and has sterilized nearly 5,000 animals to date.
“Cat overpopulation is a province-wide issue, but it takes small community-level efforts to see long term success,” explains van der Velden.
The funds are provided to selected partner charities, veterinarians and non-profit organizations, including BC SPCA branches. They are (in alphabetical order):
- BC SPCA Chilliwack Branch – Chilliwack
- BC SPCA Quesnel Branch – Quesnel
- Canadian Animal Assistance Team – Bella Coola
- Campbell River Partners in Animal Welfare – Alert Bay
- CATS Meow Society – Port Hardy
- Fraser Valley Humane Society – Fraser Valley
- Haida Gwaii Animal Hospital – Haida Gwaii
- Kitty Cat Pals – Comox
- Lakes Animal Friendship Society – Burns Lake
- Quadra Feral Cat Group – Quadra Island
To learn more about the grant program and past recipients visit spca.bc.ca/spayneutergrant.