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CARES hosts 16th annual walk for cats to help support at-capacity shelter

Supporters of the annual fundraiser walked 5K to raise money for the cat shelter
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CARES volunteer Michelle Snow is participating in the shelter’s 16th annual walk for cats with her foster cat Sinatra on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2019 at Derby Reach Park in Langley. (Joti Grewal/Black Press Media)

A walk-a-thon was held at Derby Reach Park in Fort Langley on Sunday afternoon to help support local cats.

The Canadian Animal Rescue and Extended Shelter (CARES) hosted their 16th annual walk for cats to raise money to offset the cost of medical bills and food.

Clive Ellis, director at CARES., said the event is normally successful and they are hoping to match last year’s fundraising total of $10,000.

“We have some very generous supporters and other people do what they can, they’re very loyal to us,” he said.

READ MORE: Langley cat shelter looking for volunteers to facilitate adoptions

Ellis said the shelter is currently home to 110 cats and they have another 60 in foster homes.

“As with any charity the donations are crucial,” he said. “We are growing now, we’ve helped out California and I think Arizona with the fire problem… and our shelter is now quite full.”

Ellis estimates the shelter incurs over $100,000 in medical bills an additional $50,000 for the cost of food.

CARES is a no-kill shelter and some cats have been living there for 12 years.

“We will not euthanize a cat that is well, they are our guests for as long as they’re alive,” he said.

Sinatra, one of the resident cats at the shelter, was at Derby Reach Park to participate in this year’s 5 kilometre walk.

Michelle Snow, a volunteer at the shelter, has been fostering Sinatra and said he is available for adoption, but it would have to be the right match.

“They’d have to be pretty special for me to trust that they are going to love him as much as me,” she said.

The shelter will be hosting an adopt-a-thon to help find cats their forever home on Saturday (Sept. 14) at the PetSmart located at 20015 Langley Bypass from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.



joti.grewal@blackpress.ca

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