Surrey – One of the most common reasons pets are surrendered to local shelters is the lack of affordable pet wellness, training, and education programs. Due to cost and other barriers, pet owners in under-resourced communities often do not have access to basic veterinary care such as spay/neuter services, vaccinations, dental care, and other medical and preventative care.
With a $5,000 grant from PetSmart Charities of Canada, the Surrey Community Cat Foundation (SurreyCats) aims to support pet parents in need by providing spay/neuter surgery, free of charge, for their cats. The funding will help cover veterinary costs associated with approximately 100 spay/neuter procedures.
“Our program improves access to vet care for pet guardians who can’t afford this important surgery,” says Lubna Ekramoddoullah, Program Manager at SurreyCats. “There are hundreds of stray cats and kittens in Surrey who once had homes, but because they weren’t spayed or neutered, they’re now constantly breeding. This funding enables us to address this challenge by helping families spay/neuter their cats, which will ultimately reduce the number of homeless cats in our community.”
In 2020, SurreyCats helped 250 families in spay and neuter 330 cats. The spay/neuter program is open to residents of Surrey, and cats must be at least four months old. Eligible cat owners can apply for the program at surreycats.ca or call 778-859-8552 to fill out an application form by phone.
