Do you have a stray cat in your neighborhood ? We (broken promises rescue) get many calls and requests for help and we wanted to please emphasize that if you know of a stray in your area please do not “just feed” and please do not just assume it will be fine on it’s own. Cats have a horrific life outside, fending for themselves, searching for food and shelter. Even if the cat won’t come to you please reach out for help. Here are tips on what you should do:
1. Check with neighbors and make sure the cat is indeed a stray.
2. Take a photo and share with your neighborhood, and Post on ROAM – Cats and FLEC – Find Lost & Escaped Cats
3. IF the cat is friendly you can purchase a “breakaway” collar and put it on the cat with a note “Does this cat have a home” and your number. If no one calls in a week you know this cat is lost.
4. If the cat is friendly you can take to a local vet, or shelter to scan for a microchip and check for a tattoo. Many local rescues also have scanners so we can try and come by and scan also to see if there is a chip ! (We have scanners!)
5. Please do not just assume a stray cat is dumped and homeless! Someone out there may be desperately trying to find their beloved pet ! Too often we hear of people who take in a cat as their own and don’t properly look to see if it has an owner frantically looking for it!
6. Once you are sure this cat is not owned, you can contact your local shelters. These shelters are an amazing resource and they will ensure the cat is safe, and cared for. They will look for the owner and this also give the owner a place to go looking for their cat! If after the Hold time is up and no owner is found the cat will go up for adoption.
The Local Shelters in Victoria are : CRD Animal Shelter and Victoria Animal Control Services Ltd.
Coastal Animal Services in Duncan
Cobble Hill, Shawnigan Lake, Mill Bay and the Malahat areas do not have an animal control provider for cats. Please reach out to one of the rescues listed below to assist.
We often hear and see posts about miss-leading information about our local shelters in Victoria. These shelters DO NOT just euthanize! All Animals are taken care of and they also work very closely with rescues (ourself included) and even if a cat is super old and sick they will contact us to see if local rescue’s can take it on if they feel the cat would do better in a rescue and needs more care then they can provide.
7. If the cat is scared and won’t come near you, you can contact any of the local animal control facilities for a “live trap” and if you are willing to help and trap this cat it can be taken to them for shelter and they will then scan for a chip. IF the cat is Feral they will again, contact local rescues or even place in a nice barn home where the cat can live a nice life with shelter, food and safe away from busy roads.
8. There are also many rescue’s who work tirelessly trying to do what we can to help these animals. Most of these rescue’s do this 100% volunteer and out of the goodness of our hearts. Most all work full time jobs and have families and try and help where we can! Please be kind and remember this is NOT our Jobs! We do this as a volunteer. We are no different from you, or anyone else who finds a stray animals. We just choose to step up more and help as much as we can.
You can also reach out to these rescues to see if anyone can help trap or get these cats to safety.
These rescues are:
US = Broken Promises Rescue
Greater Victoria Animal Crusaders
Victoria Cat Rescue Corps Society
The Farm Rescue (also help domestic animals)
Cats of Salt Spring Rescue Society.
Lost or Found a Pet ?Read here for resources:http://www.vacs.ca/find-your-missing-pet Please contact the local shelters –Victoria Animal Control – CRD Animal Shelter – Post lost and found animals with these groups:ROAM – All Animals FLED – Dogs FLEC – Cats |