Author Archives: vokracommunications

Come run with us on June 24!

Posted in You Can Make a Difference by

On June 24, Team VOKRA will be participating in the Scotiabank Half-Marathon and 5k run/walk and we want you to join us. It might not change your life, but your support will definitely help change the lives of the more than 1,400 kitties we rescue each year.

Kitties like Madeline. This sweet little old lady kitty was found emaciated and near death. Her long fur was also so matted it needed to be shaved at the vet’s under sedation. Today, Madeline’s the queen of her foster home and each day she’s putting on much needed weight and gaining strength. Without the love and dedication of everyone at VOKRA she wouldn’t be alive today.

You don’t have to be an athlete to join. And few on our team have ever fundraised before either (you only need to commit to raising a minimum of $50). All you need is a love of cats. This love is what unites us as a team and carries us all over the finish line!

It’s super easy to get started. To join Team VOKRA simply click here to register. And, as a bonus, each team member is entitled to a special preferred rate. To get the preferred rate be sure to enter one of the following PIN codes:

Half-Marathon discount code: 18VOKRA21K
5K discount code: 18VOKRA5K

Once you’re registered you’ll receive a link to your personal fundraising page so you can get started right away. And to help ensure you achieve your goal, Team VOKRA will provide you with a motivational emails to help you fundraise. We’ll also invite you to join the Team VOKRA Facebook group so you can connect with your fellow team members. So there’s no excuses! Sign up today and join Team VOKRA!

Be sure to reserve your Team VOKRA spot as soon as possible so you don’t miss out!

Don’t want to run? You can still help when you sponsor Team VOKRA today!

It Takes a Clowder*

Posted in volunteers, You Can Make a Difference by

*Clowder = a group or cluster of cats.

When Karen Duncan and Maria Soroski founded VOKRA back in 2000 it was headquartered in the basement of Karen’s Victorian home in Kitsilano. The plan was to care for very young, mostly bottle-fed kittens and, as often happens, things didn’t go according to plan.

Karen & Maria with longtime volunteer Shelley

Back in the day, VOKRA had a “staff” of approximately 10 volunteers and averaged 150 rescues a year. By 2008, that number had increased to 800 cats and kittens and in 2014 that number jumped to more than 1,800. After finding loving homes for thousands of cats and kittens it was about time VOKRA moved out of Karen’s basement and got a new home of its own. So in 2014 we opened our Operations Centre.

Since opening the Operations Centre (a.k.a. Ops), VOKRA has been very lucky to have an amazing amount of truly dedicated volunteers join us and help save the lives of cats and kittens.

Volunteers at our Ops making sure kittens are flea-free

Today, VOKRA currently has more than 400 volunteers working hard either behind the scenes or at Ops. We also have more than 550 foster homes, currently fostering or available to foster.

Just at our Operations Centre alone, there are an average of 168 volunteers a week! Here’s a quick snapshot of what it takes to make Ops tick:

  • Cat Care, Operations Support and Maintenance – 125+ shifts per week.
  • Medical Team – 17 volunteers
  • Reception – 20+ shifts per week

Our Operations Centre is also very busy with a large number of fosters who pick up food/supplies/medications for their foster kitties.

There are also hundreds of VOKRA volunteers “behind the scenes” who make things happen. We currenlty have 261+ volunteers on 48 teams, including:

Our event volunteers are always out in the community

Volunteer Recruitment- Adoption Counsellors – Adoption Contracts – Foster Coordinators – New Foster – Homes Interviewers – Kitty Health Checks – Medical Research – Foster Kitty Vaccination – Cat Behaviourism – Monitoring Health in Foster Care – Post Adoption Health Support – Vet Lab Reports – Fundraising – Events – Volunteer Committee – Communications – Photography – Kitty Biographers – Finance – IT – Database Administration – Foster Website – Trapping – Barn Placement – Drivers – Southlands Barn (where elderly feral cats and disabled kitties live) – and more!!!!

There never seems to be a shortage of cats to rescue

Sometimes it seems like we’re all chasing our tails trying to keep up – we’ve grown in leaps and bounds and, at times, are still going through growing pains. But we’re all here for one thing – the kitties.

Thank you to each and every one of our special volunteers who are a member of the VOKRA clowder. We wouldn’t exist without your dedication and support. Each and every one of you make a difference in the lives of kitties each day.

We’re always looking for new volunteers! If you’re interested in volunteering, visit our website at vokra.ca/volunteer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

October 19/2017

VOLUNTEERS AT OPERATIONS CENTRE:

CAT CARE / OPERATIONS SUPPORT AND MAINTENANCE   151 VOLUNTEERS

AVERAGE NUMBER — IS 125 SHIFTS PER WEEK FILLED  78%  HAVE STAYED BEYOND 6 MO.

RECEPTION:

19-21 VOLUNTEERS PER WEEK

MEDICAL TEAM:

17 VOLUNTEERS CURRENTLY  *** NEED MORE… 2 X 7 = 14, SOME MEMBERS HAVE TO VOLUNTEER MORE THAN 1 SHIFT

WALL STREET OPS TEAM:

5 VOLUNTEERS

BUILDING – WALL STREET:

1 VOLUNTEER

PROCUREMENT / AND INVENTORY:

1 VOLUNTEER

****TOTAL– AVERAGE NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS PER WEEK AT THE CENTRE: – 168

 

 

 

VOKRA IN GENERAL:

(OUTSIDE THE OPERATIONS CENTRE)

 

AT SOUTHLANDS BARN:

12 REGULAR WEEKLY VOLUNTEERS / 3 CASUAL / 1 BARN MANAGER

FOSTER HOMES THAT HAVE FOSTER KITTIES :

248 HOMES

NUMBER OF CATS CURRRENTLY IN FOSTER CARE:

472 CATS/KITTENS

ADOPTIONS SO FAR IN 2017:

940 / AS OF OCTOBER 17/2017

RECRUITMENT:

9 VOLUNTEERS

FOSTER COORDINATORS:

19 VOLUNTEERS  = 6 NEW FOSTER INTERVIEWERS, 10 CO-ORDINATORS WHO OVERSEE FOSTER HOMES IN VARIOUS AREAS OF GREATER VANCOUVER/SURREY, 3 PEOPLE CHECKING FOR HEALTH UPDATES FOR FOSTER KITTIES

ADOPTION COUNCELLOR TEAM:

5 VOLUNTEERS FULL TIME / 4-5 PEOPLE WHO DO OCCATIONAL APPLICATIONS

APPROXIMATELY 150 APPLICATIONS AT ANY GIVEN TIME BEING WORKED ON

ADOPTION CONTRACTS (PAPERS) TEAM:

17 VOLUNTEERS

VOKRA “RETURN” SURRENDERS:

1 VOLUNTEER

TRAPPING TEAM VANCOUVER:

3 VOLUNTEERS

VOKRA SURREY TEAM:

6 VOLUNTEERS

MEDICAL RESEARCH TEAM:

3 VOLUNTEERS

CAT BEHAVIOUR TEAM:

4 VOLUNTEERS

FOSTER KITTY VACCINATION TEAM:

10 VOLUNTEERS IN THE LOWER MAINLAND ***NEED MORE PEOPLE

POST ADOPTION SUPPORT TEAM:

4 VOLUNTEERS

HEALTH IN FOSTER CARE TEAM:

4 VOLUNTEERS

VET RESULTS ADMIN.TEAM:

2 VOLUNTEERS

CATS IN CARE BIOS TEAM:

3 VOLUNTEERS

PHOTO /VIDEO UPLOADS TO DATABASE/WEBSITE:

3 VOLUNTEERS

BARN PLACEMENT FOR WORKING CATS TEAM:

3 VOLUNTEERS

DRIVERS TEAM:

54 VOLUNTEERS *** STILL NEED MORE

GIFT CARD PROGRAM TEAM:

5 VOLUNTEERS

ONLINE STORE:

1 VOLUNTEER

COMMUNICATIONS TEAM:

2 VOLUNTEERS ***** NEED MORE

FUNDRAISING TEAM:

9 VOLUNTEERS *** NEED MORE

VOLUNTEER COMMITTEE TEAM:

6 VOLUNTEERS

PHOTOGRAPHY TEAM:

19 VOLUNTEERS + 6 BACK UP

CALENDAR COMMITTEE TEAM:

7 VOLUNTEERS

VOLUNTEER OF THE MONTH TEAM:

1 VOLUNTEER

FINANCE TEAM:

4 VOLUNTEERS /  + DONATIONS/DEPOSITS – 2 VOLUNTEERS

LEGACY -2 VOLUNTEERS

ADMINISTRATION TEAM:

3 VOLUNTEERS

 

IT /DATABASE TEAM:

1 VOLUNTEER ***** DESPIRATELY NEED MORE PEOPLE

FOSTER WEBSITE MANAGEMENT /UPDATES–

 2 VOLUNTEERS

MISSING CATS TEAM:

2 VOLUNTEERS

TRIAL PET INSURANCE:

1 VOLUNTEER

ADOPT A PET DATABASE/ PETFINDER:

1 VOLUNTEER

KIJIJI ADS:

1 VOLUNTEER

CRAIGSLIST ADS:

1 VOLUNTEER

NEWSPAPER ADS:

1 VOLUNTEER

You Can Be A Hero Every Month!

Posted in You Can Make a Difference by

Timmy’s a handsome gentleman cat who came to us way back in 2012 after being rescued from a shelter.

Timmy’s diabetic which means he needs a shot of insulin twice a day to stay healthy. It’s very difficult to find someone willing to take on a kitty with health issues, so at some shelters cats like Timmy are often deemed “unadoptable” and end up being euthanized.

At VOKRA we believe every kitty deserves a chance at a happy, healthy life. Whether they’re kittens or adults, feral or tame, healthy or sick – we provide them all with the best care we can. But this does come at a cost.

If you’d like to help, the easiest way for you to provide steady support for the kitties in our care is by joining our monthly giving program.

By choosing to give a monthly gift to VOKRA, you’re providing consistent, reliable resources to help us handle any situation – whether it’s a kitten needing emergency medical care, a cat requiring insulin or a feral tom in need of a neuter.

One donation a month really adds up to a big difference in the life of a cat. Here’s the lifesaving difference you can make:


Will you help a kitty today by joining our monthly giving program?

Donations are processed automatically on the same day each month which helps you budget monthly and annually. And you can change, pause or stop your donation at any time by simply contacting us.

You can also make a one-time gift when you click here.

Timmy’s patiently waiting for a forever home. If you’re interested, you can learn more about him here. Thank you to Angela McConnell for Timmy’s portraits!

 

Daisy’s Happy Tail Ending

Posted in Happy Tails by

Daisy’s a black beauty with cerebellar hypoplasia, which means she has a “wobbly walk” and a tendency to fall down, but otherwise is just like other cats. She enjoys the company of people, whether being brushed, pet or just relaxing on the couch. Despite her gentle nature, Daisy spent the first three and half years of her life in foster homes.

Trace is a cat lover who always had cats in the family home growing up. After receiving a promotion at work, she decided the perfect way to celebrate was to open up her home to a special needs cat. Trace arranged to meet Daisy in her foster home after viewing her profile on our website. During the visit, “Daisy leaned into me to steady herself and let me pet her,” said Trace. “I knew then that I wanted to take her home.”

Although shy at first, with time and patience Daisy slowly learned to trust Trace and embrace her new life as a pampered housecat. She loves playing with cloth measuring tapes and clean, empty pill bottles. Trace thinks Daisy likes the way the bottles move in unpredictable ways – just like her! She also loves sleeping in Trace’s lap or leaning her head on her palm with at least one foot on her person. “I think she feels safe that way,” Trace said. “It’s very cute.”

Daisy’s wobbly mechanics sometimes make mealtimes messy. Like a good cat mom, Trace keeps an eye on her so she doesn’t fall into her food. As a writer Trace spends several hours a day working on her computer, which makes Daisy a little jealous! She’s a vocal cat and not shy about voicing her displeasure at not being the center of attention.

We’re so glad Daisy was able to find such a doting, patient guardian in Trace. Thank you for opening up your home to a special needs kitty.

Trace said it best when she told us, “I like to think the universe was waiting for us to find each other. I love my new fur roommate.”

Would you like to share your Happy Tail? Email us at communications@vokra.ca.

Volunteer of the Month – April 2018

Posted in volunteers by

April showers may bring flowers, but they also bring us our Volunteer of the Month, Cynthia Reed!

Cynthia first started volunteering with VOKRA back in the summer of 2010 when we were still headquartered in co-founder Karen’s basement. Since then she’s witnessed the amazing growth of the organization and our move into a shiny new Operations Centre.

Within Cynthia’s first week of volunteering Karen, one of our master persuaders, had also talked her into fostering two small feral kittens.

“It was the height of kitten season and Karen’s basement was overflowing with kitties needing a home,” explains Cynthia. “How could I say no to Karen?”

Like many fosters, Cynthia “foster failed” on her first try and became a pet parent to fur-babies Tony and Cleo, who will be eight years old this month.

Cynthia has many memories of kitties she’s fallen in love with during her time volunteering with VOKRA. One of the cats who will stay in her heart forever is Chance the Wobbler, a cat with mobility issues who lived at Karen’s for a long time.

Jorge is patiently waiting for a new foster to come along

There’s also Charlie, who lived at Ops after being diagnosed with cancer, and Jorge, a sweet senior who is patiently waiting at the Centre for a new foster home. And there’s also Beamer, a blind and deaf kitten who Cynthia spent many hours playing with when he first arrived.

“There are way too many to count them all,” said Cynthia. “Everyone is special.”

Since VOKRA moved into our Operations Center, Cynthia has spent most of her cat care time in the T-N-R room.

“My experience with feral cats has been very rewarding and I have certainly learned a lot from (co-founder) Maria when helping her with some the wilder cats,” Cynthia explains. “I have done my best to adopt Maria’s calm and patient nature with the cats and now I look forward to caring for those ‘terrible’ cats other people might be afraid to approach.”

Cynthia goes on to say, “Being with VOKRA for so many years has given me the opportunity to work with and get to know some great people and I have been able to pass on what I have learned by mentoring several new volunteers.”

Volunteering for VOKRA has been a fantastic experience and I hope to be around for many years to come.

Cynthia  Reed

Thank you so much Cynthia for all your dedication to the kitties and the many, many hours you’ve spent volunteering. We truly appreciate your support and also hope you’ll be around for many years to come!

As a volunteer-driven non-profit, we clearly couldn’t do what we do without our extremely dedicated and hard working team of volunteers. Thank you to each and every one of you!

If you’re interested in volunteering with us visit our website at vokra.ca/volunteer.

Maeve’s Happy Tail Ending

Posted in Happy Tails by

Louisa, her son and their kitten Bailey were left with a hole in their family when their beloved dog passed away at age 15 from old age. Having grown up with him from six weeks to 11 months old, Bailey was particularly attached to his canine friend and was distraught after his passing. After a few months Louisa decided Bailey needed a friend. When she looked up the available kittens on our website she quickly came across Maeve, a special needs kitten with feline cerebellar hypoplasia (CH).

CH is a neurological condition that results in walking and balance problems and is caused when the cerebellum, the part of the brain that controls fine motor skills and coordination, is underdeveloped at birth. Maeve didn’t let her CH slow her down and was quite the busy kitten in her foster home! She spent her days playing, exploring or just watching the action from afar, waiting for that special someone to come along and make her a part of their family.

Louisa quickly booked an appointment right away to meet Maeve. “I watched her brother and sister running around and I watched her try to keep up and decided with that tenacity and spirit she was mine!” said Louisa.

While it took Bailey a few days to get used to having another kitty in the house, he soon came around. Now he and Maeve are BFFs (best feline friends). “Bailey is not a real cuddler except with Maeve,” said Louisa. “She head butts for attention and gives her little squeaky purr sounds. Her wobbly demeanour is adorable and it does not impede her running at breakneck speed after Bailey.”

Bailey and Maeve make a purrfect pair. She has a habit of pecking at her food, leaving her with a messy face after mealtime. Bailey helps her out by cleaning her face and, in return, she cleans his ears. Maeve also plays fun cat games with Bailey and they keep each other company during naptime. Louisa says Maeve has, “made a wonderful addition to our home and a great companion for Bailey. She is very, very sweet.”

Thank you Louisa for giving a loving home to a special needs cat. We’re glad Bailey has a new friend and Maeve has a forever home with kind guardians to care for her.

Would you like to share your Happy Tail? Email us at communications@vokra.ca.

 

 

Volunteer of the Month – March 2018

Posted in volunteers by

Spring is in the air! At VOKRA, sunshine and cherry blossoms can only mean one thing – the kittens are coming! Soon our Operations Centre will be even more of a hive of activity than it already is. One of the people who help pull it all together is Monique H. who is one of the smiling volunteers you’ll find manning the front desk. Monique does a wonderful job and also ensures all the new receptionists know the ropes when they start. Here she tells us in her own words why she volunteers for VOKRA:

I took a very serendipitous route to VOKRA…the universe was trying to tell me something. I first heard of VOKRA when I binge-watched the locally shot TV show Fringe and Googled lead actress Anna Torv. She was a foster to some very adorable VOKRA kittens and talked about them in interviews. Naturally my next step was to search for “VOKRA kittens”, which led me to a gigantic cache of cute. I followed the kitten video trail until I found an article talking about VOKRA’s new Operations Centre in East Van, which just happened to be a few blocks from my house. It was meant to be!

I think I was one of the first group of receptionists, as Ops had only been open for around 6 months when I started volunteering. We hadn’t even taken over the space next door yet, which was a doggy daycare, although I’m sure they sensed the cats were going to win their territory when van-loads of mamas and babies started arriving. It all looked so organized and efficient, although co-founder Karen gave quite a laugh years later when I told her those initial impressions.

Minda

My main motivation for wanting to help rescue cats was how much of an impact my own kitty has had on my life. I was always an animal lover, but my parents were not cat people, to say the least. Even when I moved out on my own I wasn’t able to take the leap. That changed when my partner and I adopted Minda. We found her through the SPCA and she was so sad and scared in her kennel that it broke my heart. She quickly became “my” kitty and I learned the joy of waking up to a cat cuddled on my stomach (I also learned the “joy” of being trained to dish out earlier and earlier breakfasts). When I developed health problems and couldn’t participate in a lot of my former activities, Minda was there to purr beside me and keep me company. Not only is every cat worth saving, doing so may save a human as well. That’s why my very favourite part of working the front desk is filing adoption papers, as each contract represents a wonderful new relationship forming.

I’m keeping it a secret from Minda, but other kitties have won my love as well. My very first “VOKRA crush” was sweet little Mei-Lei with her long coat and jaunty jackets. When she got injured and lost while in care I was among the many, many folks having a quiet heart attack desperately hoping she would be all right. I obviously have an “M” problem, because Meep was also very special to me around the same time. She would fall asleep in a blanket in my lap and she was around Ops for so long that we had a regular Saturday date to zone out after my shift before I went home.

Bottle feeding Little Dude

Last summer I got to bottle-feed a kitten for the very first time, thanks to Little Dude. It’s really an incredible feeling, I think I’m addicted now. Help! And of course, the kitties that are no longer with us like Stewart and Charlie. I was working my shift when Charlie first was surrendered by his family and got to see his pain and confusion turn to confidence and chattiness as he outlasted all predictions on how long he would be around. I miss you so much Charlie – every time I see those little dried fish I think of you.

My favourite memory of VOKRA itself is a night I spent at Ops in the days before we installed air conditioning. With the bay door open and warm summer air coming through, I got to witness all of the cats wake up from their after-supper naps and become the little lions that they are. Shy ferals came out of their hiding places and sleepy cats started to play recklessly with their toys. Kittens squeaked and pounced. It was like visiting the tiniest jungle and I feel honoured to have had an invite. Thank you so much, Karen and Maria, for creating a place where cats can be themselves and where we humans get to see them do so.

THANK YOU Monique!!! Your dedication to VOKRA and all the kitties is truly inspiring!

As a volunteer-driven non-profit, we clearly couldn’t do what we do without our extremely dedicated and hard working team of volunteers. Thank you to each and every one of you!

If you’re interested in volunteering with us visit our website at vokra.ca/volunteer.