BC SPCA funding helps 11 organizations with cat overpopulation in province

A total of 11 B.C. animal rescue organizations will be getting funding from BC SPCA grants to help control cat overpopulation in their communities.

The BC SPCA Community Animal Spay Neuter grant provides vital funding to groups throughout the province, several of which have been particularly hard hit due to COVID-19 and have faced challenges including spay/neuter delays, travel restrictions, and reduced capacity in staff and volunteers.

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

The allocation of the funds will go directly towards covering the cost of spay/neuter surgeries and permanent pet identification, in addition to helping groups address both community cat colonies and cats living on First Nations land.

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

The BC SPCA Community Animal Spay Neuter grant is currently in its ninth year and more than 6,000 animals have been helped to date. The grants are available to registered animal charities and non-profits, municipalities, veterinarians, First Nation’s governments and tribal councils, and BC SPCA branches.

Here are the recipients of this year’s funds:

● Canadian Animal Assistance Team – Bella Bella

● Campbell River Partners 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 Neuter Society - Valemount

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

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