One day after International Cat Day, an Armstrong pet products store teamed up with a cat rescue foundation to help find homes for some critters in need.
It was Bosley’s second anniversary in Armstrong on Saturday, and the pet supplies retailer celebrated by inviting Pawprints Animal Rescue over for a bottle drive, a cat adoption event and some good news.
Just before 11 a.m. a special announcement was made: Pawprints had been chosen by the Armstrong Regional Co-0p gas bar for its annual Fuel Good Day – a day in which they’ll donate 10 cents of every litre pumped to the animal rescue.
“We were absolutely thrilled there this year when the Co-Op chose Pawprints Animal Rescue as their charity of choice,” said Brenda Firth, Bosley’s Assistant Manager and event coordinator for Pawprints.
Fuel Good Day will take place Sept. 17. In addition to a hopefully busy day at the pumps there will be a Scout barbecue, and the North Okanagan Knights will drop by to sign autographs.
By 1 p.m. Saturday Pawprints had found new homes for four of their cats. “We’re just having a little kitten being adopted right now,” said Pawprints’ Pam Guelly. “He’s moving all the way to Victoria.”
For Guelly and Pawprints as a whole, the partnership with Bosley’s has been essential to their cause.
“They host these adoption events for us, which are huge in getting our kitties out there and people being able to come and meet them and finding those forever homes for them,” she said.
Those still interested in adopting don’t need to worry about supply. Guelly says there are currently close to 50 kittens in Pawprints’ care, and on top of that the cat rescue spays and neuters a large number of feral street cats each year.
“We are on overload right now. It’s been a really busy year,” said Guelly.
“One of the cats that we have here today was abandoned on the Coquihalla a few weeks ago,” explained Firth.
“Some wonderful samaritan on the highway found her and now she’s here with Pawprints, so we’re looking for a nice home for her.”
The Co-ops in Vernon, Armstrong and Salmon Arm choose a different charity for Fuel Good Day each year. Last year’s Fuel Good Day raised $4,063 for the North Okanagan Hospice Society, $2,794 for the Armstrong Food Bank, and $3,560 for the Shuswap Hospital Foundation.
While Pawprints is the selected charity of choice in 2019 for Armstrong, Vernon and Salmon Arm will name their charity of choice after the Labour Day weekend.
Based in Chase, Pawprints specializes in feral, stray and abandoned cats throughout B.C.
Watch: ‘This is ironic’: Cat demonstrates dog paddle skills during B.C. Day dip
Read More: Improve your life and theirs, adopt a cat from the BC SPCA
