Flood prevention project leaves West Kootenay cat rescue group in limbo

The operator of a cat shelter in B.C.'s West Kootenay is frantically looking for a new home for the furry felines before being ordered to move out to make way for a big flood prevention project.

The Boundary Helping Hands Feline Rescue Society in Grand Forks, B.C., was allowed to rent a dilapidated, city-owned house in the North Ruckle neighbourhood in March, after months of operating out of an RV. 

But the volunteer-run group must leave the building by June 30, because properties in the neighbourhood will have to be demolished in preparation for the construction of huge dikes along the Kettle River.

After a devastating flood in 2018, the federal and provincial governments committed a $50 million package to help Grand Forks recover — which includes money to buy out homes that sit on the flood plain, as well as funding for flood protection projects.

According to city documents, all the affected residential structures acquired by the city will have to be removed by the end of the year, in order for the city to proceed with the projects.

On Monday, city council voted not to extend the lease for the cat rescue group beyond June.

"We have deadlines to meet under the grant program that we're involved in with the federal and the provincial governments," Mayor Brian Taylor told council. "If we miss those deadlines — in particular with the federal money — we could stand to lose substantial amounts of that grant."

The cat rescue group's president, Kimberly Feeny, says she has been searching for a permanent location, but council's decision still caught her off guard.

"[We're] just hoping and praying we could stay a little longer, but that's not the case," she said to Chris Walker, the host of CBC's Daybreak South. "Now we are extremely desperate at this point."

"I'm literally just going around the empty buildings and trying to find out who owns them and if it would be a viable location to transfer our fuzzy little guys to," she went on. "We're freaking out a little."

Feeny says there are currently more than 40 cats and kittens in her shelter, and more than 40 felines have been adopted out since the group was established in December.

"We did not expect to take in this many cats in such a short period of time," she said. "It's a big endeavour, but it really needs to be done." 

The mayor says council has been scrambling to find a place to accommodate the cat rescue organization.

Feeny is asking the local community to come forward with a brick-and-mortar location to house the cats.

"The RV is still functional. That being said, in this temperature, I don't know if I'd feel comfortable putting anybody in there.

"We have had a lot of locals volunteer to foster, but spreading the cats out to 50 different places … it's going to be difficult for me to keep track of everything," she said.

Tap the link below to hear Kimberley Feeny's interview on Daybreak South: