October 15th, 2018

I just finished watching a news piece about how hard it is for Manitoba dog rescues to keep up with the number of dogs in this province.  I do not want to cast shade on dog rescues.  They work hard and do good work, but while I was watching that news piece, I was struck by the notion that neither the reporter, nor the rescue people have any idea what overwhelming numbers really are.

People involved in cat rescue and community cat programs can tell you, in great detail, exactly what constitutes "overwhelming numbers".  Here are ours:
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• 100,000+  Number of cats living on Winnipeg streets
• 300,000+  Number of kittens born on Winnipeg streets this year
• 225,000+  Number of kittens dying on Winnipeg streets this year
• ~8,000    Number of kittens 'rescued' this year
• 18,000+   Number of cats and kittens that will die over the winter
• 50,000+   Number of kittens that survive winter to join the breeding population next year
• 12,000+   Number of cats we've had to turn away so far this year.  12,000 cats that are still on the streets and reproducing.  That number will likely hit 20,000 before the end of the year.

More overwhelming numbers:

• $25,000+ owed to vet for services rendered (thank you, Dr. Keri, for your incredible patience)
• $20,000  needed to cover cost of recent distemper outbreak
• $20,000  outstanding bills that must be paid
• $60,000  ANNUAL COST OF CARING FOR CATS THAT ARE DUMPED ON US, WITHOUT OUR PERMISSION (tossed in the door, left in the parking lot, thrown into dumpster, etc.)
• $30,000   monthly cost to continue in operation
• $21,000   average monthly income, from all sources

These are truly overwhelming numbers.  If you'd like to help conquer them, please make a donation.  Here's what your dollars can buy:

• $10:  vaccinate 1 cat against distemper (feline parvovirus) and upper respiratory infections
• $25:  feed one cat for one month
• $30:  intake cost for one cat or kitten (initial vaccination, deworming, flea / earmite treatment)
• $85:  spay or neuter one cat
• $100:  feed and house one cat for one month
• $100:  feed a litter of 5 bottle babies for 1 week
• $100:  provide a complete kitten series of FVRCP vaccinations for 1 kitten
• $200:  feed and house a mother cat and her kittens for one month
• $500:  feed a litter of 5 bottle babies for 1 month
• $1,000:  pay our Hydro bill for 1 month

craigstreetcats.ca/donate.html
Thank you.

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