Thursday September 23, 2021 | VICTORIA, BC [Updated September 24]
by Mary P Brooke, Editor | Island Social Trends
The Capital Regional District (CRD) Animal Shelter has received $518,000 as bequeathed by the estate of Frances Gordon Ainsworth, it was announced today by the CRD in a news release. CRD describes the bequest as generous.
Mr Ainsworth and her partner Mr Carter (who predeceased him) donated annually to the CRD Animal Shelter as a way to honour their relationship with their much loved pet Whiskey the Cat, who they say provided much comfort and joy.
A community outreach event by the animal shelter to promote its work had originally caught the eye of Ainsworth and Carter, who became inspired by the staff’s passion for animal welfare. They became annual donors.
Funds donated by the pair provided new beds for dogs, hide and perch boxes for the cats, and additional help with the funding of extreme medical cases.
Where the funds go:
The 2021 CRD budget shows $1.2 million for three types of services: animal shelter, care and bylaw. The bequest — which represents about 43% of that annual budget — will go toward shelter and animal care services, says CRD.
A CRD service for 20 years:
The CRD Animal Shelter is located at 5401 Pat Bay Highway in Victoria where temporary shelter is offered for lost domesticated animals. They operate an adoption program for stray, lost, abandoned or injured animals including dogsd, cats and livestock like chickens, roosters, quail, as well as hamsters, rats, gerbils, birds and snakes.
The CRD Animal Shelter is an agency that has operated for over 20 years, including taking in animals from 10 municipalities, the Gulf Islands, Electoral Areas and three First Nation Reserves. The municipalities and other jurisdictions pay into the CRD service and in some cases adapt the CRD Animal Regulation & Impounding Bylaw to lineup with local needs, such as in Sooke, Langford, Metchosin, View Royal and Highlands.
New outreach programs:
CRD says their Animal Care Services staff are in the process of developing outreach programs to assist in the reuniting of animals with their owners. Animals brought into the shelter are scanned for a microchip or tattoo. In 2020, only 60% of animals that were found lost were claimed by their owners with almost 200 animals requiring medical care and new homes. Animals at the animal shelter that are not claimed are spayed or neutered, vaccinated and microchipped before being placed for adoption.
Spay & neuter:
The CRD has provided emergency medical care including spaying and neutering over 400 found animals with more than $150,000 in veterinary expenses in the past four years.