Whisker Rescue Society (WRS) can count on the goodness of local citizens to help keep cats healthy with the return of the annual Donation Garage Sale.

Returning for its sixth consecutive year, WRS hopes to raise funds for the organization to help pay for the costs of running the operation.

“We take strays found out on the street along with owner surrenders,” said Amy Lockhart, the president and co-founder of WRS. “Then we provide the cats with full medical care and then place them up for adoption.”

The fundraiser is a donation-based sale event in which the organization accepts donations from the public such as furniture, dishware, children’s toys, etc. which are then sold at a later date.

Donations for the garage sale will begin on July 14th to July 26th at the Pidherney Curling Club which is also where the actual garage sale will be taking place Aug. 4th to Aug. 6th.

“We designate all of the money received from the garage sale towards the medical care or foster supplies for the cats,” said Lockhart. “So it’s really awesome to support it because you know your money is going directly to the cats and to help them.

“It’s not going to administration, or office supplies or things like that, it’s all going towards medical care.”

In addition to finding the cats’ forever homes, the rescue also provides spay/neuter programs as well as cat food/litter banks.

According to a comparative income statement which can be found on the web site of the organization, veterinary bills make up most of the expenses of the operation.

The organization relies heavily on fundraisers such as the Donation Garage Sale, Bingo events and general donations to help pay for not only vet fees but also for the cats’ medicine and equipment rental costs.

“When Stacy (Worobetz) and I were working in a vet clinic together we wanted to start a rescue that never had to worry about saving money because then we wouldn’t be able to make the cats’ health first priority,” said Lockhart. “So it’s nice that we’re volunteer run because then all of the money can go directly to helping the cats. It’s not spent on wages or things like that.”

Lockhart said that she takes pride in WRS’s ability to help cats from all ages and walks of life.

“We’ve taken in pregnant cats before so we’ve taken care of cats that were literally born into the rescue, all the way up to re-homing 18 year-old cats,” said Lockhart.

WRS has a strict no-kill policy and only euthanizes in cases of terminal illness or with extreme behavioural issues such as hyper-aggression.

“We will do whatever it takes to get them back to a healthy state so that they can live a good life,” Lockhart said. “We never euthanize for convenience or to make room.”

Volunteers for the event work hard at ensuring all donated items have been washed and inspected for functionality, say organizers.

“What they do is really amazing,” Lockhart said. “They spend all month working really hard.”

student@reddeerexpress.com