A one-eyed kitten named Maggie attended Wednesday’s city council meeting in Vancouver.
The feline guest was there to observe the unanimous passing of what the Vancouver Orphan Kitten Recue Association described as a “landmark motion.”
Tabled by Coun. Pete Fry – whose own cat Leonard was a stray trapped by VOKRA 20 years ago – the punnily titled “Catalyzing Support for Feline Control Services in Vancouver” proposed having the city take more responsibility for stray, feral or abandoned cats.
The municipally run Vancouver Animal Services only deals with reports of lost cats and retrieval of dead cats. The motion noted that the agency saw a spike in the number of deceased cats reported last year – from 64 in 2023 to 111 in 2024.
“VAS do not manage or control cats – feral, stray, surrendered, or otherwise,” the motion said, adding that cities like Surrey, Burnaby and Coquitlam do provide some municipal cat control.
Without a city-run or city-funded program, organizations like VOKRA have been filling the gap. The motion pointed out that prior to VOKRA’s successful “trapping and sterilization” initiative in 2017 there were almost 10,000 feral cats living on the streets.
The need for the city to step in, according to Fry, has become more pronounced in recent years.
“We’re seeing a significant increase in folks who are unable to care for their pets. We’re seeing more abandoned cats, and we are seeing an increase in costs for caring for said abandoned cats and rehoming those cats,” he said at Wednesday’s meeting.
VOKRA cared for 219 strays in 2024, which works out to an average of one cat every one-and-a-half days. The “intake cost” for each cat is $377.56 – which includes vaccinations, deworming, microchipping and sterilization. That figure does not include the cost of feeding, fostering, or emergency medical treatment.
The city supports groups like VOKRA through animal service grants – but the line item in the budget for that hovers around $15,000 annually, and multiple groups compete for the funding.
In 2024, VOKRA applied for a $14,000 grant and was given zero dollars.
This year, VOKRA applied for $15,033 and was granted $2,610 – an amount that will cover intake costs for six cats.
Speaking to council, VOKRA’s Maria Soroski explained how much more challenging it has become to financially sustain the organization’s work.
“Inflation has hit us hard. Veterinary treatment, food supplies, rent and medical intervention has doubled, and our donations are way down,” she said.
“We have literally been performing cat control for the city for 25 years, free of charge. This is becoming financially unsustainable for us, and we’re asking for your help.”
Fry’s motion asks city staff to come back with a proposal to fully or partially fund cat control in the city – either by bringing it under the umbrella of Vancouver Animal Services or by consistently granting money to VOKRA.
The charity, in a statement, said the possibility of being funded by the city to provide these services is potentially precedent-setting.
“VOKRA extends its heartfelt thanks to everyone who made this moment possible. This is a victory not just for our organization – but for every vulnerable cat still waiting to be rescued,” the statement said.
