BC SPCA funding helps 11 organizations with cat overpopulation in province – Chilliwack Progress

A total of 11 BC animal rescue organizations are receiving funding from BC SPCA grants to help control cat overpopulation in their communities.

The BC SPCA Community Animal Spay Neuter Scholarship provides critical funding to groups across the province, some of whom have been particularly hard hit by COVID-19 and faced challenges including spay / neuter delays, travel restrictions and reduced capacity Employees and volunteers.

“Many of the areas we’re funding this year are working in areas that struggled with access to veterinary care before the pandemic,” said Marieke van der Velden, outreach specialist at BC SPCA. “The efforts of our fellows are now more important than ever and we are excited to make this work possible.”

The grant will be used directly to cover the costs of spay / neuter surgery and permanent pet identification, and will help groups target both community cat colonies and cats living on First Nations land.

“By partnering with local groups, we can reach more cats and reduce the suffering of countless cats and kittens,” said van der Velden. “In addition to preventing population growth, restraint for these cats also improves the health of individual cats and the human community in which they live, and reduces human-animal conflict.”

The BC SPCA Community Animal Spay Neuter Scholarship is currently in its ninth year and more than 6,000 animals have been helped to date. Grants are available to registered charities and nonprofits, local authorities, veterinarians, First Nation governments and tribal councils, and branches of the BC SPCA.

Here are the recipients of this year’s funding:

● Canadian Animal Aid Team – Bella Bella

● Campbell River Partner in Animal Welfare – Alert Bay

● Catspan Ferals Registered Charity – Nanoose Bay

● CATS Meow Society – Port Hardy

● Chilliwack Animal Safe Haven – Chilliwack

● Invermere Companion Animal Network (ICAN) – Invermere

● Kitty Cat Pals – Comox

● Langley Animal Protection Society (LAPS) – Langley

● Pawz United Rescue Society (PURS) – Prince Rupert

● Spirit Mission Rescue Society – Bella Bella

● Robson Valley Spay and Neutral Society – Valemount

To learn more about the scholarship program and past recipients, visit spca.bc.ca/spayneutergrant.

RELATED: BC SPCA Has A New Plan To Reduce The Numbers Of Animals In Its Care

RELATED: Why Do SPCA Affiliates Sometimes Don’t Have Animals Available for Adoption

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