The Vancouver Orphan Kitten Rescue Association (VOKRA) is a no kill, non-profit cat rescue organization in

Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...

, British Columbia, Canada, providing

trap–neuter–return Trap–neuter–return (TNR), also known as trap–neuter–release, is a controversial method that attempts to manage populations of feral cats. The process involves live-trapping the cats, having them neutered, ear-tipped for identification, and, ...

services to Vancouver and nearby communities.

History

In 2000, Karen Duncan and Maria Soroski founded the Vancouver Orphan Kitten Rescue Association (VOKRA) in

, British Columbia. They first planned to care for very young, mainly bottle-feeding kittens, who rarely survived if found without a mother cat. They soon found that older kittens would do better in foster care, and then included mother cats, both tame and

feral A feral () animal or plant is one that lives in the wild but is descended from domesticated individuals. As with an introduced species, the introduction of feral animals or plants to non-native regions may disrupt ecosystems and has, in some ...

, and eventually a full trap-neuter-return program. Initially the organization helped about 150 cats and kittens each year. In 2008, the organization expanded into Surrey; more than half of the incoming cats were from the Surrey area in 2013. By 2014, the organization had grown to over 350 foster homes, helping 1,800 cats annually. In March 2014, the organization opened a new 3,200 square foot (297 sq. m.) operations centre in East Vancouver, British Columbia. The facility contains four pods, each with its own air supply to prevent disease from spreading. The centre can handle up to 50 cats for short stays of usually one to three days, before the cats go to foster care. The centre is also used for recovery of

feral cat A feral cat or a stray cat is an unowned domestic cat (''Felis catus'') that lives outdoors and avoids human contact: it does not allow itself to be handled or touched, and usually remains hidden from humans. Feral cats may breed over dozens ...

s after their spay/neuter surgery.

Programs

Pre-natal, natal, and orphan program

VOKRA specializes in the care of bottle-feeding kittens who are orphaned or whose mother cannot feed them adequately. The organization also provides care for pregnant and nursing cats, both tame and

. The work can be intense: "in the case of sick or bottle-fed young ones, feeding and care can be needed every two hours, around the clock."

Foster program

Without a shelter, foster homes provide the foundation of VOKRA's work. VOKRA says that one of the advantages of fostering is "to protect the very young from colds, distemper, parasites and other transmissible illnesses." The organization provides all food, supplies, equipment and pays for the medical needs of the cats and kittens being fostered. The busiest time of year is between April and October, but foster homes are used year-round. The space used for fostering is typically a spare room or bathroom, where the foster kittens/cats can be isolated from the family's own animals for at least for a week to ten days, to prevent the spread of illnesses to the family's own cats. The length of time the foster charges will stay depends on how soon they are ready for adoption, and how long it takes to find the right adopter; it "can vary from as little as a week to several months. We will move them to another foster home if necessary." Foster parents report enjoying the experience of raising kittens, and sometimes deciding to adopt their fosters.

Trap-neuter-return program

VOKRA works to stabilize and reduce the

population by

, with partner organizations including the Pacific Animal Foundation and Katie's Place Animal Shelter. Soroski said they had "virtually eliminated feral cat colonies in

and

Burnaby Burnaby is a city in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia, Canada. Located in the centre of the Burrard Peninsula, it neighbours the City of Vancouver to the west, the District of North Vancouver across the confluence of the Burrard I ...

", and hope to do the same in Surrey. Volunteers in 2014 estimated there are 20,000 feral cats in Surrey. Care provided to feral cats includes caring for pregnant feral mothers through birthing and until their kittens are weaned. If a mother cat cannot be tamed, she is returned to her original location where volunteers ensure food and water are available daily, and the cat's health can be monitored. Feral Kittens and tame strays are not returned, but are instead socialized in foster care and adopted out to homes. VOKRA does not ear-tip feral cats, but each cat receives an identification tattoo.

Spay-neuter assistance program

The organization assists low income individuals and families with the cost of spaying and neutering their cats. In 2013, VOKRA sterilized 120 free-roaming cats in the Whalley neighbourhood of Surrey, with a grant from PetSmart Charities. In 2014, the organization received a grant to help low income cat guardians in the Newton neighbourhood of Surrey.

Outreach to other communities

In 2012, VOKRA decided to help five cats from Avsallar, Turkey, after hearing about the plight of street cats. Two of the cats have been adopted: Fistik, calico cat who had suffered broken legs and a broken pelvis before being rescued by a vet in

Antalya la, Attalensis grc, Ἀτταλειώτης , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = 07xxx , area_code = (+90) 242 , registration_plate = 07 , blank_name = Licence plate ...

, Turkey; and

tuxedo cat Black tie is a semi-formal Western dress code for evening events, originating in British and American conventions for attire in the 19th century. In British English, the dress code is often referred to synecdochically by its principal element ...

Ballerina, who also suffered a leg injury before being rescued by a vet in Avsallar. VOKRA sometimes takes in cats from northern communities. In March 2012, Hamish, an orange and white

tabby cat A tabby is any domestic cat (''Felis catus'') with a distinctive 'M'-shaped marking on its forehead; stripes by its eyes and across its cheeks, along its back, and around its legs and tail; and (differing by tabby type), characteristic striped, d ...

with medium-length hair, was rescued by Northern Animal Rescue Alliance after he had been surviving at the local garbage dump in

Terrace, British Columbia Terrace is a city located near the Skeena River in British Columbia, Canada. The community is the regional retail and service hub for the northwestern portion of British Columbia. With a current population of over 12,000 within municipal boundarie ...

. He was flown to Vancouver, and adopted by his foster family, who renamed him Wiggum. In June 2014, VOKRA took in five kittens from Lethbridge, Alberta. Two of the kittens, Olivia and Daisy, have

cerebellar hypoplasia Cerebellar hypoplasia is characterized by reduced cerebellar volume, even though cerebellar shape is (near) normal. It consists of a heterogeneous group of disorders of cerebellar maldevelopment presenting as early-onset non–progressive conge ...

(CH), a condition that causes an unsteady gait; VOKRA reported having had some success helping cats with the condition using therapeutic treatments."Olivia and Daisy: Wobbling Their Way Into Your Heart"
Morgan, The VOKRA Blog, June 18, 2014. Pilots N Paws Canada arranged to have the cats transported to Vancouver from Purrfect Endings, a rescue in Lethbridge. Turbo and Noah, two kittens who did not have CH, were adopted quickly.

Fundraising

Since 2009, VOKRA's main fundraiser has been the annual Walk for the Kitties. Each year VOKRA nominates spokeskitties who help represent the more than 14,000 cats and kittens the no-kill organization has rescued since its founding in 2000.

Wildlife rescue assistance

On occasion VOKRA has assisted with wildlife rescues. A notable rescue involved a skunk named Bubbles. In August 2011, Bubbles was noticed in

's West End with her neck stuck in a plastic dome-shaped lid used for

bubble tea Bubble tea (also known as pearl milk tea, bubble milk tea, tapioca milk tea, boba tea, or boba; , ) is a tea-based drink that originated in Taiwan in the early 1980s. Taiwanese immigrants brought it to the United States in the 1990s, initially ...

. The skunk's situation became more dire as she grew and the lid became tighter. Bubbles eluded captors until November 2011, when VOKRA volunteer Shirley trapped her. The Wildlife Rescue Association of B.C. performed surgery to remove debris which had caused scabbing, and after 45 days of rehabilitation, Bubbles was reported ready for release on December 28, 2011. The wildlife rescue later reported that Bubbles had been "spotted in the company of other neighbourhood skunks and appears to be healthy and staying out of trouble."

Position statements

*On declawing cats: "Declawing cats is cruel, inhumane and equal to severing all human fingers from the first knuckle below the fingernail." *On dangerous pet products: "Numerous over-the-counter 'pet products' ... are in fact harming and sometimes killing perfectly healthy cats and dogs. They contain the same pesticides that are found in Raid, and have been shown to cause severe skin burns, seizures, vomiting and death." *On the indoor/outdoor debate: "After 13 years of cat rescue, we firmly believe that keeping your cats strictly indoors will lead to a long, healthy life for your beloved pet and fewer worrisome nights and vet bills after a cat goes missing, is injured, or even worse."

Notable cat rescues

*Blue - On December 16, 2013, Blue, a

Russian Blue cat The Russian Blue Cat (russian: Русская голубая кошка, Russkaya golubaya koshka), commonly referred to as just Russian Blue, is a cat breed with colors that vary from a light shimmering silver to a darker, slate grey. The short ...

with a badly infected tail was rescued when he was trapped in White Rock. Blue had lived outside for over two years, but showed himself to be completely tame after being rescued. Most of his tail was amputated at the time of his neutering surgery. Blue was soon adopted after being fostered. *Clea and Oreo (Massage Therapy Kittens): Mary McNeil's foster kittens Chloe and Bugsy (now Clea and Oreo) were featured on ''

The Ellen DeGeneres Show ''The Ellen DeGeneres Show'' (often shortened to ''Ellen'' or ''The Ellen Show'') is an American daytime television variety comedy talk show that was created and hosted by its namesake Ellen DeGeneres. Debuting on September 8, 2003, it was pro ...

'' for their massage therapy technique, in a June 2012 video which has had over 15 million views. Clea, the tabby kitten therapist, also massaged a tuxedo kitten in ''Camera Kitten'', a video with close to 400,000 views. The kittens, who were wild and fearful when first rescued, are now adopted."Video: Your Daily Dose of Adorable Sponsored by Vancouver Orphan Kitten Rescue Association"
Hilary Henegar, BC Living, 12/02/2010. Their ongoing adventures are chronicled on the YouTube channel of their adopter, Elle Ekram. *Kenny Pawgers - On August 29, 2011, Kenny Pawgers, a "skinny, old-timer with dirty, white fur and a few rotten molars, who had been living rough" was rescued in East

, after trapper Maria Soroski returned from a

Kenny Rogers Kenneth Ray Rogers (August 21, 1938 – March 20, 2020) was an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2013. Rogers was particularly popular with country audiences but also charted m ...

concert. Kenny had "tried sneaking into apartments on the East Side and sleeping in the occupants' beds, maybe hoping that they'd like him and let him stay." He was the most affectionate cat that Soroski had known. A golf-ball sized tumour was soon found and removed from his stomach. His award-winning story was the only Canadian entry in a 2011 Heartwarming Story Contest of the U.S.-based Animal Rescue Site; earning VOKRA $2,000, which went to his vet bills. Kenny attended VOKRA's annual Walk for the Kitties fundraisers at

Jericho Beach Jericho Beach, known originally as ''iy'a'l'mexw'' in Squamish, a Vancouver beach, is located west of the seaside neighbourhood of Kitsilano. It is surrounded by Jericho Beach Park, a grassy area with a pond, which is a picnic destination. Je ...

in 2012 and 2013. He received ongoing homeopathy treatments for lymphoma, remaining in Soroski's care. On May 2, 2013, he died from old age at 20 years. *Kringle - In December 2011, Kringle, an orange and white

, and his brother Pjammies, were trapped in

Vancouver, British Columbia Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the city, up from 631,486 in 2016. The ...

. The two cats had been abandoned from their home of many years when the family moved. Pjammies was quickly adopted, but Kringle stayed in several foster homes. At a North Vancouver foster home, PetSearchers Canada brought a tracking dog to help search when Kringle went missing for two days. Kringle was adopted from his last foster home in June 2012. His ongoing adventures are chronicled in the Facebook Page, Crazy about Cats. *Lua - In the fall of 2013, Lua, a

tabby A tabby is any domestic cat (''Felis catus'') with a distinctive 'M'-shaped marking on its forehead; stripes by its eyes and across its cheeks, along its back, and around its legs and tail; and (differing by tabby type), characteristic striped, ...

kitten with medium length hair, suffered an injury in a crushing accident that left her back legs paralyzed. She received

hydrotherapy Hydrotherapy, formerly called hydropathy and also called water cure, is a branch of alternative medicine (particularly naturopathy), occupational therapy, and physiotherapy, that involves the use of water for pain relief and treatment. The term ...

, and regularly receives

acupuncture Acupuncture is a form of alternative medicine and a component of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in which thin needles are inserted into the body. Acupuncture is a pseudoscience; the theories and practices of TCM are not based on scientif ...

and other therapies. Lua's foster mom Dania chronicles her ongoing adventures from

Gabriola Island Gabriola Island is one of the Gulf Islands in the Strait of Georgia in British Columbia (BC), Canada. It is about east of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island, to which it is linked by a 20-minute ferry service. It has a land area of about and a res ...

on her Facebook Page, Lua. *Maxine - an affectionate tabby cat, Maxine gave birth to 10 kittens soon after being rescued in Surrey in April 2014. Nine of her kittens survived. Maxine helped to spread the word about VOKRA's low cost spay/neuter program. She was adopted after her kittens were weaned. *Monkey and Thunder and family - Six purring grey foster kittens born to a

mother were viewed by over 500,000 people in ''A Den of Kittens'', a June 2012 video by foster parents Douglas and Sharon. The family adopted two of the kittens, Monkey and Thunder, who appeared in another popular video, ''Get a Room, Kittens.'' The kittens were featured on episode 8 of

Animal Planet Animal Planet (stylized in all lowercase since 2018) is an American multinational pay television channel owned by the Warner Bros. Discovery Networks unit of Warner Bros. Discovery. First established on June 1, 1996, the network is primarily ...

's program ''My Pet's Gone Viral''. The family's ongoing adventures are chronicled on the YouTube channel DrNworb. Their August 2013 video ''The Kitten Circus'', featuring five kittens they also fostered, was awarded first place in

's first Internet Cat Video Festival, and shown at the festival in August 2014. *Monty - When found as a thin, frail elderly stray cat in

New Westminster New Westminster (colloquially known as New West) is a city in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia, Canada, and a member municipality of the Metro Vancouver Regional District. It was founded by Major-General Richard Moody as the capi ...

in early 2014, Monty's head and neck were riddled with plastic

BB gun A BB gun is a type of air gun designed to shoot metallic spherical projectiles called BBs (not to be confused with similar-looking bearing balls), which are approximately the same size as BB-size lead birdshot used on shotguns ( in diamete ...

pellets. He is blind in one eye, which appears cloudy; believed to be likely the result of the same cruelty. Monty was also diagnosed with diabetes. In September 2014, Monty had gone from needing two units of insulin daily to one, and his diabetes was believed to be moving toward remission. His foster family decided to adopt him.

''Kitty 911''

In 2016, the documentary series ''Kitty 911'' was released, following the work of VOKRA volunteers. Ten episodes were filmed in season one, from 2016 to 2017."Kitty 911"
Apple TV, accessed Dec. 21, 2019.

References

{{Reflist, 2, refs= "Meet the Kitty Representatives for VOKRA's 5th Annual Walk for the Kitties"
VOKRA, accessed Oct. 7, 2014. "Vancouver Orphan Kitten Rescue Association tames the region's feral cat colonies"
Stephen Hui, The Georgia Straight, April 14, 2014. "Volunteer: Fostering"
VOKRA, accessed Oct. 7, 2014. "About us"
Vancouver Orphan Kitten Rescue Association, accessed Sept. 23, 2014. "About us: Spay-neuter Assistance Program"
VOKRA, accessed Oct. 7, 2014. "About us: Pre-Natal, Natal, and Orphan Program"
VOKRA, accessed Oct. 7, 2014. "About us: What is TNR?: Where is TNR being done in Greater Vancouver?"
VOKRA, accessed Oct. 7, 2014. "Cat café will be a first for Vancouver"
CBC News, April 15, 2014.
The Province, Dec. 20, 2011.
Lee MacPherson, Limited Vision, Sept. 13, 2011. "The Story of Kenny Pawgers"
Note on Crazy about Cats Facebook Page, May 3, 2013. "Grizzled, scraggly-haired kitty hopes tale will sway voters"
The Province, Dec. 6, 2011, archived by love4himies, pets4life. "Rainbow Bridge"
VOKRA, accessed Oct. 7, 2014. "Blue Gets Help and Begins a New Life"
Karen Harrison Binette, Life With Cats, Dec. 29, 2013. "2013 Registered Charity Information Return for Vancouver Orphan Kitten Rescue Association"
Canada Revenue Agency. "Support VOKRA: Donate to VOKRA"
VOKRA, accessed Oct. 7, 2014.
Irene Plett, The Surrey Leader, June 2, 2014. "Maxine"
VOKRA, accessed Oct. 7, 2014. "Kringle"
Irene, Paws for Hope, Nov. 17, 2013. "Vancouver skunk undergoes surgery after wandering for months with bubble tea lid around neck"
Frank Luba, National Post, Nov. 15, 2011. "News & Events: VOKRA helps Bubbles the Skunk in the West End"
VOKRA, accessed Oct. 7, 2014.

External links

Official website
Animal welfare organizations based in Canada Trap–neuter–return organizations Domestic cat welfare organizations 2000 establishments in Canada Non-profit organizations based in Vancouver