Article content continued

The space, says Hanson, doesn’t need to be fancy, it just needs to be heated and have access to water. Hanson points out that even though she’s been at this location for two years, most of the staff at the dealership didn’t even know the dozens of cats were there. How is that possible? Because these fabulous feline tenants are super quiet and clean. Hanson and dedicated volunteers keep the place so spic and span there is absolutely no smell and the only noise is the occasional meow.

Hanson is hopeful any space that can either be donated or rented for a reasonable amount could be near public transit, as many of her volunteers don’t have cars. Caroleen, who has been volunteering with FRFA since 2000, nods in agreement. She would find it difficult to volunteer, if the space was too far from a transit route.

“I love coming here every week,” says Caroleen. “It’s like Disneyland for cat lovers. These cats — maybe because they’ve had such hard lives before — are so loving and grateful for anything you do for them. You just have to touch them and they start purring.”

Since a story ran in the Herald in October, nine cats have been adopted and some donations have come in, but not nearly enough to keep the shelter going for very long if market rents have to be paid. Currently, Hanson spends about $3,000 a month on food, Kitty Litter and veterinary care.

Hanson says after the flood of June 2013, donations “dried up” and rental accommodations grew scarcer as a result of damaged property. Ironically, just as donations dropped off, more cats were being abandoned. Then, earlier this year, Alison Redford’s scandal-plagued government cancelled the $25,000 Hanson was promised through the Community Spirit fund. Considering the provincial government’s lavish abuse of travel and lottery-like severance packages for short-lived political staffers, it makes the dismantling of this program all the more galling. Hanson calls it a perfect storm.