This kitty is one of those up for adoption by KAWS

Kenneth Brown
of The Clarion

The KAWS Animal Rescue (KAWS) organization is having a busy year and a spokesperson says there are several ways people can help aside from adopting rescue animals.

Delee DeCap, the secretary-treasurer for KAWS, has been involved with the non-profit organization for about five years and she said the volunteer-based group continues to help animals find new homes. She noted that 2017 has been busier than recent years.

“It seems this year is busier,” she said, adding that more people have been contacting KAWS about animals. “Our intake has been busier, but then adoptions have been busier as well. It never evens out. There’s always more intakes than there is adoptions.”

Although things have been busier for the organization, DeCap said she believes 2017 has been a positive year for KAWS because the organization has built momentum. She said the new Pet Valu store in Kindersley has been instrumental in helping KAWS to find new homes for cats and kittens.

The pet store helps to display kittens when they come up for adoption. And the store is helping to raise awareness for the organization, DeCap said.

DeCap said KAWS has two main ways to get its information out to the public. The organization has a Facebook account at www.facebook.com/KAWSAnimalRescue and the social media site is the best way for people to contact KAWS to adopt, donate and get information, she said.

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Pet Valu is the second venue. The store displays the kittens, so people become interested in the animals and learn more about KAWS as a result, DeCap said. She recognized that store has been great by helping to get animals adopted, but also by raising money to support KAWS and its efforts.

According to DeCap, the group just had its quickest ever adoption of a kitten. A cute orange kitten was put on display at the store late in July and somebody adopted it within six hours of the animal being on display.

The organization doesn’t deal with dogs too much, but it will help in situations involving dogs. DeCap said KAWS will try to help get dogs adopted if they end up in the town’s animal shelter on First Avenue West. She said KAWS helped to get a dog adopted in recent weeks.

She noted that the town has animal control measures in place and that helps to keep dogs from ending up in the care of the rescue organization. However, the group deals with a host of cats and kittens that need to be adopted.

It is harder to find homes for adult cats than it is for kittens, DeCap said. The organization now has six adult cats in its foster care, but the cats are bonded and KAWS doesn’t want them to be split up because the pairs come from the same litters.

“It’s trying to get an adult adopted and trying to get someone to adopt two at the same time,” she explained, adding the cats are given a lot of attention when they’re in the care of foster homes. “It’s a hard sell.”

The organization does get stray cats and kittens, but cats and kittens also end up in the group’s care for other reasons. DeCap said the organization received two bottle-fed litters in the spring and it’s often a case of the mothers going missing. The group doesn’t take cats from established homes but the group will try to help the owners find new homes by putting a post on its social media page.

The animals that end up in the group’s care are all spayed or neutered, and fully vaccinated. The spokesperson said the cats and kittens are great animals but should there be a problem with an animal, KAWS will let people know before they’re adopted.

DeCap said the organization has other challenges such as not having enough foster homes for cats and kittens. The volunteer-based group needs the financial resources to ensure all the animals are all fully vetted, and to cover the cost of food when they’re in foster care.

DeCap noted that foster families only have to provide a space for the animals – all costs are covered by KAWS. A big advantage to foster care is the organization knows the animals, so owners get animals that suit them.

“We know them really well,” DeCap said. The group knows the personality of each animal and they don’t want animals to end up in the wrong situation. “We match every animal as best we can.”

If people are interested in adopting cats or kittens, donating to the organization, fostering an animal or becoming involved in any other way, contact the members through the Facebook page.

The current KAWS executive is not large, so Decap said the group is open to new directors if a person fits with the organization. The group’s annual Raise the Woof fundraiser is set for Nov. 25 featuring clean, family-friendly comedians, she added.

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