'Our vet bills are insane': VOKRA inundated with cats and kittens rescued from hoarder
Volunteers at the Vancouver Orphan Kitten Rescue Association already have their hands full with kitten season in full swing – but they just got fuller.
The organization was recently inundated with almost two dozens kittens and cats, some of them pregnant, that were rescued from a hoarding situation, pushing their resources to the brink.
“We had to just sit here and comb all day getting the fleas out. Fleas were jumping directly on them, it was horrifying, actually,” said Karen Duncan, co-founder of VOKRA.
The first few weeks of life for those baby kittens were less than ideal, but luckily, they’re in good hands now.
“Giving them lots of vitamins and lots of food – they were starved as well,” said Duncan.
They were saved just in time too, given the state they were in.
“The kittens wouldn’t have lived I don’t think another day because they were so depleted. They’re so tiny,” said Duncan.
Kittens in need are all part of the day-to-day at VOKRA. Currently, the organization has about 400 felines in its care.
It is especially busy in the spring and summer months, also known as kitten season.
“Every day there have been cats coming in and out of the building constantly,” said Jill Morisset, VOKRA rescue centre manager.
This latest influx added with the persistent need this time of year is putting a strain on already limited resources.
“Our vet bills are insane," said Duncan. "They are really up this year and of course we aren’t able to do a lot of fundraising."
“People just don’t have as much to give I think everybody has been stretched quite thin this year and there are a lot more people reaching out for help,” said Morisset.
Their phones are ringing daily, partly because the pandemic has meant decreased access to veterinary care for some pet owners.
“It's been a tough year for everybody. People have not been getting access to veterinary care – maybe they can't afford it – and cats are not getting fixed right now,” said Morisset
“Cats are being dumped, kittens are being dumped. It's pretty horrific this year,” said Duncan.
Two brother kittens were the latest example.
“They were just screaming their little heads off in the blackberry bushes its pretty obvious that someone just dumped them there to be a little coyote snack, which is horrible,” said Morrisset.
Duncan said monetary donations are needed right now to keep up with the mounting vet and food bills for the kitties.
To donate, visit the VOKRA website.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6968186.1721272613!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
JD Vance introduces himself as Trump's running mate and makes direct appeal to his native Rust Belt
Introducing himself to the nation after being tapped as Donald Trump's running mate, JD Vance used his Wednesday night address to the Republican National Convention to share the story of his hardscrabble upbringing and make the case that his party best understands the challenges facing struggling Americans.
Two deaths in listeriosis outbreak linked to plant-based milk recall
Two people have died after an outbreak of listeriosis trigged a national recall of certain plant-based milks, the Public Health Agency of Canada said Wednesday.
Quebec filmmaker denied replacement hand after airplane propeller accident
The War Amps is speaking out after one of its members who lost most of his hand in an airplane propeller accident was denied coverage by Quebec for a mechanical hand.
Video shows B.C. grizzly basking in clawfoot tub
A donated clawfoot bathtub has become the preferred lounging spot for a pair of B.C. grizzly bears, who have been taking turns relaxing and reclining in it – with minimal sibling squabbling – for the past year.
John Deere ends support of 'social or cultural awareness' events, distances from inclusion efforts
Farm equipment maker John Deere says it will no longer sponsor 'social or cultural awareness' events, becoming the latest major U.S. company to distance itself from diversity and inclusion measures after being targeted by conservative backlash.
Rare photos reveal uncontacted tribe in Peruvian Amazon as loggers move in
Rare images of the Mashco Piro, an uncontacted Indigenous tribe in the remote Peruvian Amazon, were published on Tuesday by Survival International,
'I feel like he did not die in vain': Family responds to report on tortured B.C. boy's death
The heartbreak over the death of an Indigenous 11-year-old Fraser Valley boy, tortured and then ultimately killed by his foster parents, was felt by all who knew him.
Biden tests positive for COVID, will self-isolate in Delaware
U.S. President Joe Biden, under pressure from fellow Democrats to drop his re-election campaign, tested positive for COVID-19 while visiting Las Vegas on Wednesday and is self-isolating after experiencing mild symptoms, the White House said.
Day three of the RNC: Trump made an appearance, JD Vance addressed the crowd
The third day of the Republican National Convention was underway in Milwaukee on Wednesday evening, with speakers including Donald Trump's newly selected vice-presidential pick, JD Vance, as well as the former U.S. president's son, Donald Trump Jr.