Out-of-control cat population has Okanagan Humane Society scrambling
The Okanagan Humane Society is struggling to find enough foster care homes to help with a historically high number of animal intakes this year.
The cat and kitten population in particular is out of control in rural areas of the Okanagan, Armstrong and the Shuswap, but more urban areas aren't off the hook with feral cats producing litters of kittens.
“We are seeing the same crisis happening across the province and the country,” humane society president Romany Runnalls said. “We have a lot of pregnant moms and litters of kittens that need medical support and homes.”
Runnalls said the society is in dire need of financial support, resources and foster homes. The volunteer-run organization rescues the animals, spays and neuters them to break the breeding cycle, and rehabilitates them.
While the reason for the sharp increase in numbers of animals in need is unclear, Runnalls has some theories.
“People may have been putting off medical care, and spaying and neutering because of inflation,” she said. “It is expensive to get animals fixed, vets have to pay more for their supplies. Many people are struggling financially so it can be a prohibiting factor.
“We wonder if it has to do with COVID measures limiting access to clinics for a period of time.”
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The Okanagan Humane Society is a registered charity committed to spaying and neutering owned, feral and abandoned cats, dogs and small animals.
Runnalls said left unchecked, it doesn’t take long for cat colonies to increase in numbers as they reproduce so quickly. To stop the cycle the whole colony must be sterilized.
“Our primary mission is to vaccinate, deworm, spay or neuter, tattoo and microchip the animals,” Runnells said. “We find homes for the tame cats and the feral cats are released back close to where they came from but fixed.”
The society is in need of more foster homes, which they rely on entirely because they don't have an actual bricks and mortar facility. They currently have over 120 foster homes participating.
“A shelter can be limiting in terms of how many animals it can take in,” Runnells said. “We are completely foster-based and 100 per cent volunteer run. Our only limitations are our number of foster homes and the funds we have.”
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Runnells said she is also receiving referrals from other rescues in the Okanagan and Shuswap that are at capacity.
“We hate to say no,” she said. “We also don’t want kittens being given away to less than great homes.”
The society offers a pet assist program to help lower income pet owners spay or neuter their pets.
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