Regina Cat Rescue launches May Means Spay campaign

Regina Cat Rescue (RCR) is kicking off the month of May with its May Means Spay campaign. The campaign goal is to raise funds to spay and neuter cats in RCR’s care and to encourage pet owners to spay and neuter their pet cats.

“Springtime is kitten time at Regina Cat Rescue,” RCR President Sabrina Cataldo said. “Every spring we see an explosion in the number of cats and kittens in our care. We need the public’s help to reduce these numbers through spaying and neutering.”

In 2014, RCR sterilized over 320 cats and kittens in its foster home and trap-neuter-release (TNR) programs. It pays for these surgeries through adoption fees, sponsorship, fundraising and donations.

“We need the public’s financial support to help cover the veterinary expenses to sterilize the cats and kittens we rescue,” Cataldo said. “Our volunteers work tirelessly every day of the year to reduce the suffering that abandoned cats and kittens experience on the streets, but they can’t do it alone.”

Donations can be made through the May Means Spay campaign site at YouCaring.com/MayMeansSpay. RCR’s goal is to raise $4,000 – enough to spay/neuter approximately 30 cats and kittens. Besides donating money, RCR encourages all pet owners to sterilize their cats.

“The biggest thing any pet owner can do is to spay or neuter their own cat,” Cataldo explained. “Allowing unsterilized cats to roam has led to the cat overpopulation crisis that Regina is experiencing, but together we can work to fix that.”

RCR maintains 33 feral cat colonies in Regina to help manage the city’s cat population. Feral cats are humanely trapped, sterilized and returned to their colony (this process is called TNR). Volunteers visit the colonies 365 days a year to provide food and water, to check for sick or pregnant cats, and to gather information about any new cats at the colony. Scientific studies show that TNR is the most humane and effective approach for managing feral cats.

Stray cats found at feral colonies are taken to the vet for any necessary treatments. A date for their sterilization is booked and they are placed in foster care. Once sterilized, these cats are listed for adoption at reginacatrescue.com. No cat leaves RCR’s care unsterilized.

In 2014, RCR rescued 396 cats and found adoptive homes for 372 cats.

RCR is a non-profit, volunteer-run organization and a registered charity. RCR is a member of the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies.  Donations over $25 are eligible for tax receipts.

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For more information, contact:
Rachel Molnar
Communication and Education Co-Chair
Regina Cat Rescue
reginacatrescue@gmail.com