Re: Capital Region urged to keep cats under control (News, Jan. 23)
Over the last seven years, the Sooke Animal Food and Rescue Society has rescued, rehabilitated and found homes for 600 abandoned cats.
We believe animals rescue groups should have the right to house more than four cats. However, while a Capital Regional District-BCSPCA monopoly is in place, this is not possible.
The CRD and the BCSPCA mandate is not to work with stray and feral cats.
The BCSPCA charges low income people about $75 for a spay voucher for a cat and $160 for a dog, and it puts many barriers on poor people asking for help. The grants the BCSPCA gives to cat rescue groups are filled with limiting rules.
We support municipalities giving money for spay/neuter and vaccines.
Let’s start by municipalities accepting some responsibility for this and not punishing the poor and small rescue groups with another financial burden.
We have been the ones paying for everything from our own pockets, with the help from other small cat rescue groups such as Victoria Cat Rescue and Voice of Concern for Animal Life.
Thank you for raising awareness about this terrible idea. Spay/neuter, vaccinations, and money for education for people to leave the cats indoor – yes, but more administrative fees for the CRD – no!
Margarita Dominguez
Sooke Animal Food and Rescue Society
