Four years after its inception, Paws United Rescue Society (PURS) in Prince Rupert is now a registered charity.
Late in 2020, Rupert residents Chantal Cornwall and Kim St Pierre co-founded PURS, marking the beginning of their journey to rescue and rehabilitate vulnerable cats in the city.
“The number of very sick kittens, pregnant, feral or abandoned cats, unneutered males was at a all-time high during the pandemic and still ongoing," said Cornwall. "The community of Prince Rupert has an over-cat population problem – a big one. Some of this is a direct result of job loss, evictions and a vet crisis and cost of vet care in B.C.
“We’d seen so many cats and kittens being abandoned and born on the street. It was the height of COVID, so it was getting pretty bad out there. And we were just sick and tired of watching these poor little things suffer and being dumped. We just needed to do something,” said St Pierre.
PURS now has eight board members and more than 60 community volunteers working on animal welfare. Joining Cornwall and St Pierre as directors are Keli Postulo, Sarah Browne, Tammy Nicol, Laurie Cullen, Dawna Johnson, and Sylvia Lord Johnson.
They are hosting a Christmas auction fundraiser on Facebook from Nov. 29 to Dec. 6. The event will feature 150 to 200 items, including an array of holiday shopping merchandise, such as gift cards and baked goods. Bidding will start at a minimum amount and increase in $5 increments.
The money raised will support cat vet bills, trap-neuter-release (TNR) equipment, feral colony care, spay/neuter services, outreach, and foster pet supplies.
Cornwall explained that the massive lack of veterinary care between Prince Rupert and Prince George really compelled them to step in and care for feral, semi-feral, and abandoned cats.
“We actually went to Smithers about 25 times, which is an eight-hour return trip to get vet care, to get spay and neutering and different things,” said Cornwall.
St Pierre says there was no vet care for three years and when vets finally returned post-COVID-19, there was a six to seven-month waiting list. Many people adopted puppies and kittens during COVID-19 for company, but because they couldn't get them spayed, neutered, or vaccinated, these animals bred, resulting in a significant increase in unwanted numbers making management difficult.
Now, PURS regularly encounters newly born litters that face various enduring deficiencies and injuries, especially when their mothers die. These kittens struggle to fend for themselves in the wild.
“The high cost of vet care in the north has really impacted a lot of situations for rescues, whether it’s abandonment or that poor female that’s having her fourth litter this year...So part of our solution is trap-neuter-release,” said Cornwall.
PURS noted that in the Lower Mainland, spaying and neutering can cost $125; in the north, it costs $600 for a female and $400 for a male.
They find it important to trap high-producing female cats for spaying so they can get free from heat cycles and multiple litters. They also trap young kittens from colonies, provide vet care and vaccinations, and place them in foster care for socialization and eventual adoption or relocation.
PURS has successfully facilitated over 450 adoptions and relocated 259 animals. They have implemented 155 TNR procedures and provided end-of-life care for very ill feral cats. Additionally, they have assisted in the welfare of 165 feral cats.
The team shared several heart-wrenching situations in which they found cats in the city. St Pierre once found a cat she previously knew abandoned on the highway.
“Super friendly boy, but he was literally a rack of bones, and he was covered in porcupine quills because he was eating a porcupine carcass, because that’s all he had to eat. And I picked him up off the highway, and it’s a miracle he even survived, but he was dumped for no reason,” said St Pierre.
Another time, the society found a cat in a kennel on the mountain after it had been trapped there for three days. The cat’s paws were burned from sitting in her urine while partially submerged in water. If she had stayed there for another day, she likely would have succumbed to her condition. Fortunately, a family walking their dog nearby noticed that the dog was sniffing and becoming agitated, wanting to investigate what was in the forest. It led to the discovery of the cat. PURS then took it to a vet.
“So what is that? Is that desperation? Is that just pure animal cruelty?” She encourages people not to dump cats when in doubt and instead call BCSPCA’s animal cruelty line or PURS.
St Pierre highlighted several dangers that feral cats encounter on a daily basis. These include wolves, speeding vehicles at night, and people putting out rat poison for rats, which ends up harming cats.
She recommends thoroughly checking crawl spaces and basements before sealing them up, as a cat could become trapped inside for days and could die from lack of food or water.
As it gets colder, cats often seek warmth in car engines and under cars. Honking your horn doesn’t help — it’s better to pop the hood and check for any cats hiding there before starting the vehicle. In the past, PURS engaged with a cat named Chaser, who got himself caught in an engine, his leg was torn off needed to be amputated. Luckily, he was adopted afterward.
Cornwall described a recent evolution in their role from solely TNR and adoption to addressing broader community issues. They often receive calls from people needing urgent help. They might confess they are no longer safe for their cats and need to go into a recovery home, or that they will be evicted the next day.
“We are really shifting... we are actually problem-solving the community’s problems,” said Cornwall.
The Prince Rupert and District Chamber of Commerce awarded PURS the not-for-profit of the year award for 2023-2024.
“Feral cats have an important role in Prince Rupert in keeping rats, mice and other rodent population down,” said Cornwall.
The team advises that if someone chooses to feed a feral cat, they should make it a regular commitment rather than a one-time act.
The new charity status helps them secure more gaming grants and outreach. They are hoping their registered website domain will showcase their work to out-of-province donors, boosting donations and respect within the community and other rescues. It will also allow for tax receipts and corporate donations.
“We have raised about 110K now with eight auctions — all supported by PURS members, sponsors and local businesses,” said Cornwall.
She finds that a great source of reinforcement and confidence-boosting for the team.
She reported that feral cats can have around 20 kittens each year. This year, PURS spent $20,000 to perform TNR on 40 cats, which really helps to stabilize cat colonies.
“When I take them to their vet appointment for their TNR, I do tell the girls it’s their freedom day and that they won’t be having any more babies,” said Cornwall.
