Although the ongoing pandemic restrictions have put a damper on most fundraising activities in Moose Jaw, the local SCRAPS organization is still continuing its programs as usual, to look after the stray cat population in the community.
Volunteers with the organization haven’t slowed down their work in any way, said SCRAPS coordinator Ann Marciszyn, as the stray cats in Moose Jaw seem largely unaffected by the global health crisis.
The trap, neuter, release program — the cornerstone of the SCRAPS mission — has been as busy as ever, shared Marciszyn.
In fact, things are actually picking up as kitten season is well underway, and it’s vital to keep on top of spaying and neutering the stray cat population.
“It’s critical now that we are rescuing cats and doing our program because we don't want our work to be undone by leaving kitten season unchecked,” said Marciszyn. “We don't want those kittens to grow up to be adults who start reproducing.”
One adult cat can have up to three litters of four kittens each per year, said Marciszyn, which means SCRAPS has to stay on their toes with the TNR program every spring to keep track of new adult cats in the area.
Working in partnership with the Moose Jaw Animal Clinic, the TNR program works to locate and safely neuter and vaccinate feral cats to help humanely reduce the population and promote a healthier environment for Moose Jaw’s stray cats.
Volunteers work as a widespread team, from monitoring the local stray cat colonies for new faces that need to be neutered to rescuing litters of kittens and moving them into foster care.
“We're right on track with any other year, and we've actually been more proactive than even last year, as last year was a slow year for kittens,” said Marciszyn.
Marciszyn also noted that the foster program has continued to stay strong, with volunteer teams checking in on foster homes to ensure they have supplies and are doing alright.
Adoptions of rehabilitated cats have also continued as usual, although SCRAPS has been a bit more reserved in their process.
“We haven't been as aggressively pursuing adoptions through the acute phase of COVID,” said Marciszyn. “We've been really cautious about that because we want people not to be impulsive in adopting a cat while they have free time.”
The organization is currently working on adapting the home visit portion of its application process to fit pandemic guidelines, which is just one step of the selective adoption process.
“We're actually very cautious about adoptions, and I think most people respect us for that,” said Marciszyn. “It sometimes takes many months to get these cats to the point where they're ready for a home and when they're ready, they're really wonderful animals, but when we get them they're diamonds in the rough.”
The largest way the pandemic has affected operations at SCRAPS is financially, as implementing social distancing measures among volunteers hasn’t been too difficult.
Rather, it's the inability to host any kind of fundraiser that gathers people together that has been tough, which is why SCRAPS had to put together some minimal-contact ideas to help them through this time.
Marciszyn said the organization has been wary of asking the community for large donations, considering the current economic situation that many are dealing with, but any kind of support is more than welcome.
“We're trying to be respectful, not wanting to ask people for money when they might be in a position where they want to support us but might not be able to,” said Marciszyn. “So we're kind of relying on fundraising through different measures, ones that respect distance or are online.”
The 9 Lives Boutique in the Town n’ Country Mall is once again open, after the province-wide retail shutdown closed its doors in March, but only in a minimal capacity. The storefront is open on Saturdays from 12 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. for social distance shopping, and customers can also call the store and order items for pickup or doorstep delivery.
SCRAPS also has a few other things going on, including a Pizza Fur Paws promotion with Family Pizza — $15 vouchers for an extra-large pizza are available to purchase at Pet Valu, Family Pizza, and the 9 Lives Boutique, with a portion of the proceeds going back to SCRAPS.
Another new idea to raise some funds is Recycle For SCRAPS & Save a Litter, where people can donate their recyclable items to SCRAPS, who will come pick it up and get it out of their hair while SARCAN is closed.
The last ongoing fundraiser is the Through A Lens of Hope raffle, featuring three photographic prints from Wolfen Photography available to win. Tickets for the raffle are $5 each or 3 for $12, and will be available until the raffle’s extended draw date on Oct. 31.
Of course, the organization always welcomes donations of any kind, to help support the TNR program and the stray cats in the community. The best way to offer help currently, said Marciszyn, is to consider donating — either money, items for the boutique, or volunteer time.
For more information about what SCRAPS is up to, including adoptable cats available and ways to get involved, check the group’s Facebook page or reach out to SCRAPS at 1 (306) 693-0718.
