'Everything has gone up': Animal shelters struggling to keep up with rising costs
Pet rescues are feeling the pinch with the cost of food, gas and many other items only getting pricier, making it all the more difficult for shelters to operate.
It's a busy room of felines at Miss J.LA's Fur Babies Cat Cafe and Adoption Centre, as the business holds one last fundraiser in its current location before moving.
The fundraiser is of increased importance as the cost of taking care of so many cats has gone up dramatically.
"Even looking for a place to rent, everything has gone up since we were looking in 2018," said owner Jennifer Laferriere in an interview on Sunday. "So costs are going up. Cat food's gone up, litter is going up, everything, vet care."
To help cover costs, Laferriere uses a variety of funds, even starting a GoFundMe page to raise money for a new location.
"When we are open, we charge to see the kitties. That goes to taking care of them," she said. "We rely on donations. We do monthly auctions just to get a new location."
It's a similar story at Tails for Freedom Rescue.
The organization is averaging about $10,000 a month in vet bills -- a large cost when fewer donations are coming in.
"We're definitely seeing a slowdown because people are feeling the impacts of inflation themselves, and it's taking more money to run their household, and there's less leftover to help rescues," said Andrea Hilderman, the rescue's spay and neuter coordinator.
Tails for Freedom Rescue is also seeing fewer people volunteering to drive cats, something made worse with each jump at the pump.
"I always say at the end of our clinics that without drivers we don't have clinics," Hilderman said. "Our clinics are primarily in Treherne, with our vet in Treherne, and so we require people to get up at five o'clock in the morning and take 10 cats out to Treherne."
The driver shortage is also hitting the Animal Food Bank, which is still seeing increased demand for food and pet supplies.
"The delivery model is really close to my heart. It's how I founded the food bank, so I’d really like it to stay that way, and so we're hoping that we see a reprieve in costs because it is impacting our ability to provide food and supplies to pets in need," explained Nicole Wilks, founder of Animal Food Bank.
According to Wilks, the price of pet food has also risen, which is a problem as the organization is seeing a decrease in donations.
"All of the pet food manufacturers and the wholesalers are experiencing the same price increases, and you know it goes down the line,” Wilks said
Even with all the increases in fees and hardships, helping the animals is well worth it for the organizations.
"That's the whole goal. That's what we're here for, to save them and get them into a home where they're going be loved," said Laferriere.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
A 'tragedy that can't be measured': North Bay's forever chemical problem is also the rest of Canada's
For decades, North Bay, Ontario's water supply has harboured chemicals associated with liver and developmental issues, cancer and complications with pregnancy. It's far from the only city with that problem.
opinion How to use your credit card as a powerful wealth-building tool
Irresponsibly using a credit card can land you in financial trouble, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says when used properly, it can be a powerful wealth-building tool that can help grow your credit profile and create new opportunities.
Questlove was not happy with Drake and Kendrick Lamar's beef: 'Nobody won the war'
While some may have been excited and/or amused by the diss-track feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, the man many consider to be an elder statesman of hip-hop appears less than enthused about it.
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Bouchard lifts Edmonton Oilers to 4-3 overtime win over Canucks in Game 2
Evan Bouchard scored 5:38 into overtime and the Edmonton Oilers bounced back for a 4-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs on Friday.
A renewed Russian offensive on Kharkiv in northeast Ukraine forces some 1,700 civilians to flee
Russian forces began a renewed ground assault in Ukraine's northeast, killing and injuring several people and forcing more than 1,700 civilians to evacuate from the Kharkiv region, officials said Saturday.
Israel orders new evacuations in the southern Gaza city of Rafah as it prepares to expand operations
Israel ordered new evacuations in Gaza's southern city of Rafah on Saturday, forcing tens of thousands more people to move as it prepares to expand its operation and adding that it is also moving into an area in northern Gaza where Hamas has regrouped.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.