Secret Cat Haven
ETA: On August 13 2009, I recieved an e-mail from one of the volunteers kindly letting me know that it is okay to let people know that it is okay to publish the name (Richmond Animal Protection Society or RAPS) and website (www.rapsociety.com) and to let people know that they are located are in Richmond, BC, Canada.
Quote: “It’s true that we don’t publish our street address or exact location, but if people are truly interested, they will call or email us through our website and be provided that information. Our organization has grown and is now more public because we operate the Richmond city animal shelter as well now.”
The organisation always welcome new volunteers and donations, so please do help spread the word if you know of someone locally who are interested in doing so :D
I apologise for the lack of activities here in a while, had just been really busy trying to get the two furry kids to settle down, you don’t want to know the details of what we were doing this morning at 5am ish lol… Let’s just say it involves some… samples the husband had to bring to the vet ^^;
Below is a picture of a secret haven for possibly over 800 kitties.
Interested see some pictures I took from my first visit to this place?
The reason why I am not gonna name or say where this is is because this is not a place for you to dump your cats after you got tired of them! ^^;
It is a no kill shelter mostly for cats who are adult/senior or with conditions which deemed them unadoptable, example cat with health/bowel problems, or social problems etc. Adoption has to be by appointment only and they’re only open for public a few hours on a weekend day.
This kitty has extra toes! He allows visitors to pick him up but will meow when you do so and also when you put him down XD
This place is run by a group of cat loving volunteers and they keep the place running by donations. It has both indoors and outdoors type settings which are enclosed, a laundry area where tons and tons of towels are being washed each day, food and water is always available for the huge population (all spayed/neutered) so it is generally peaceful = no cat fights.
Cats which need to be isolated due to contagious illnesses or if they are new have rather big custom made cages which has their own litter box and other necessities like food, water, basket to sleep in and toys.
Cats are allowed to roam around in the huge enclosed space and many things are built with them in mind, lots of high places where they can climb to and look down at us lowly humans (LOL)
The volunteers actually know most of the cat’s names in there, if not at least a large number of them (over 800 names to remember, imagine that!) We were told while going on a tour with a volunteer that this kitty likes to jump on people’s shoulders lol!.
This kitty has a very curly tail which keeps springing back to it’s curl! And you can see it’s friendly :)
Special patterned kitty under the chair, passerby black kitty wants to be in picture too?
We were told that if we brought treats (we forgot! LOL) the cats will swarm around us ^^;
This kitty looks fiercer in this picture than it really is ^^;
Cats which are unpredictable will have a collar on them as a warning — meaning they may bite or scratch if you tried to pick them up or touch them.
Some cats look very different from the others, take short round guy in the picture below for example, he unfortunately has bowel problems :( he would pee or poo and it’ll just drop off behind him =_=; So he cannot be adopted out, since he would leave his pee or poo around the house unfortunately. He has a sibling who looks more “normal” but also have the same bowel problems, apparently it is a hereditary condition.
White kitty with a black “beard” XD
The cat below is a victim of severe condition of earmites which resulted in him shaking his head so much that blood clot formed in his ears and damaged the cartilage, causing them to become deformed. It enjoyed head scratching and pats like most cats do tho!
I’ll leave you with this cute picture of a cat tail which reminds me of a bamboo shoot ;P
Please tell me where this is and a place I can send a contribution.
omg!! location information please? i’m so happy to know there is such a place like this.
when i have a job i will definitely donate =)
Yes we will be traveling soon and would like to visit and help out!
I love animals and this is just beautiful!
If i had money to spare i would help…
So many more people need to be told of this and more places like this need to be build for different animals!
xoxoxo love you kitties! (and the people who help!)
i would like to know where this place is. i would love to donate my time to that shelter.
This is so amazing! I had to bookmark it and show my roommate! If at all possible could you email the location information? Thank you so much for putting this up!
I think I know where this is, or if not then I know a place that is the exact same thing. Love the pictures!
Wow, that’s certainly incredible. Can you just come and visit the place then? My boyfriend and I will be looking for a kitty to adopt once we get married, what state is the place in? Since I completely understand not wanting to give an address, I live in the country and people drop off kitties all the time ;___; it’s how we got out most recent little dear.
e-mails sent to those interested! ^^/
I would be interested in donating as well, if I can get the address–this looks like a perfect cat heaven! >^..^<
Elena
Please give me more info on this place.
Thanks,
Jamie
I knew of a place like this near where I live called Tiger Ranch, unfortunately they were wrongfully shut down and all the cats euthanized.
I’m glad to see there are other places out there like that, though I wish there were more!
I would love to donate, please email me the info!
This seems like such a wonderful place. My kitty would love it. She too, unfortunately has bowl problems that no vet can figure out. But i would love to visit. If i could get the information, i would love to help.
Thanks!!
e-mails sent :D
@Lacey Oh my o_o how terrible that the cats got wrongfully euthanized and a no kill shelter closed down =_= People really need to be educated about Trap Neuter Return ^^;
Thanks for sharing this with us. We just have 3 cats, but have had up to 7, but 800! Wow.
Please send us details of where and donations.
Nick
I’d like to send a donation. Can you e-mail the address please. Thanks
Hi there! Does this place have a company name or website? Then I could get more information and send them a donation…or if they were close to me, I’d love to offer them my time volunteering.
Thank you,
Amanda
Wow! That’s amazing! We’ve been looking for a place to adopt a cat from recently, where is this place and does it have a website?
I would like an address for a contribution!! This place is amazing! :-D
I want to volunteer there!!! Where is it? (email edited out)
I’d love to donate — could you email me details? :)
I would absolutely LOVE to donate to this place! I have always wanted to do something like this myself. My fiance and I love cats and would greatly appreciate a response/e-mail/details. Thanks so much :)
This place is amazing, please can you tell me where it is as would like to help a fantastic cause. thanks.
Please email me their mailing address, so I can send a donation. Wish it were close enough that I could volunteer there. (I’m sure I’d have heard about it if it were.)
I would love to donate to this place or volunteer if it is near to where I live. Could you email me the info please?
Please email me. I would like to help.
I want to know where this is too! I’d love to help with something like this, I so wish I could afford to open my own…lol. I looooove me some kitty kitties :).
Can I please get the info for this place? I would like to make a donation.
E-mailed those who’s comments are showing :D thanks again!
I’d like to donate too, can you email me? Thank you!!
I’d love to know where this place is, or at least how I can get in touch. I love supporting no-kill shelters, and I think this looks like a wonderful shelter to donate to. Plus if it’s anywhere nearby I can bring treats and be in the middle of a cat swarm. :D
I would love to know where to send a donation, please!
Hey can u email me where this is located? or just put it up on the comment board? thanks! this looks awesome!!
I’d love to send a donation; can you email me the info of the place please? Thanks so much!
I wish I could come pick up all these kittens and take them home with me. However in knowing that I can’t… can I please send in a donation?
I have a friend who has had a dream to do this forever. I’d love to send a donation in her name if I could get verifiable information. Please email me when you can and thank you for posting this. :)
I would also love to know the details for this place. It seems like such a wonderful initiative and I’m always glad to support no-kill shelters.
I would love to know the location of this place and the address for its website if it has one. :)
I really want to go, please email me location/website!
Great idea!!! I love it!
Hey, can I get a name? If it’s in a place where I’ll be later in the summer, I’d love to volunteer… I love cats! ^^
I love that place! My friend Barbara volunteers there =)
i would love to help could i please have the address
I spend alot of time taking care of local abandoned kitty cats in my area. It is a really time consuming cause, and I think it is absolutely amazing that someone has devoted the time/money/effort into making such a wonderful environment for these poor dears. The woman who founded the organization I work with has over 80 cats living in HER home with her, and there are other people with just as many. It is really hard to run such a large scale organization without the help of kind people. I would LOVE to know more about this place, as I would love to be able to visit to get some ideas for our organzation which is Journeys End No Kill Animal Society, in Kinsport, Tennessee. Please send me some more information. Thank you, and keep up the good work.
wooow!!!!! i love it!
e mail me plis i would love to donate or voluneer
I would love more information as well! I run a small cat/dog rescue in the Massachusetts area. I went to Best Friends last September on “vacation” to volunteer for the week. It was amazing. I would like to donate or possibly visit it they allow it.
e-mailed those who requested :) thank you if you do decided to make a donation to the shelter/sanctuary!
Hi — I’d love more information too. Would love to make a contribution.
I would love more info to be able to send a donation to such an amazing place!