BC SPCA brings back low income spay/neuter program as Kamloops sees overpopulation of cats

KAMLOOPS — The BC SPCA is bringing back its Low Income Spay Neuter Program. Cats from low income families will receive a spay or neuter surgery, primary vaccines and will be microchipped for only $20.

“We did a community assessment in 2019, and what we found was that people are not spay or neutering their cats because they’re not aware of the importance of it, and because of the financial barriers,” said Ashley Fontaine, community engagement manager at the Kamloops BC SPCA.

Kamloops has the highest feline intake, collecting 78 per cent of all cats taken in at BC SPCA locations.

“People kind of view them as disposable. So when they move, they can just leave them. If they don’t want them anymore, they just put them outside the door and someone else will take care of that. We see that as a constant theme,” Fontaine said.

The Cat Hospital in Kamloops agrees that it’s important to spay and neuter your cat, but the veterinarian says having extra cats roam around might actually be a good thing.

“They provide a valuable service to a community. If you’re out there and you have a cat that you’re feeding in your backyard — keep feeding it, because its helping to keep rodents out of your house,” said Dr. Sandy Jamieson.

Dr. Jamieson says that when he opened the cat hospital six years ago, he was doing roughly four spay or neuter surgeries per week.

Now, he does up to four a day. Despite those numbers, the BC SPCA says it’s becoming a problem.

“We have a waitlist for surrenders. We have cats that are having unplanned litters, cats that are being abandoned, cats that are left astray, and then we have feral colonies,” said Fontaine.

The low income spay neuter program is part of the BC SPCA’s initiative to offer cats quality of life.

“If they’re living on the streets and they don’t have a home, they’re not getting properly fed and taken care of — they’re getting diseased, they’re getting sick,” Fontaine told CFJC News.

“That becomes a problem for the animal and the community as well.”