Have you talked to your pets about safe sex and our Low Cost Spay-Neuter Program?
Congratulations to our Winner and thanks to YOU for support
Congratulations Lea Warkentin on winning the pot in our fundraising draw that wrapped up Oct. 21. Lea got mugged by Enzo and Ambrose when she came to pick up her 50 50 winnings!
Although the raffle wasn't a sell out, Lea did take home over $2,000 and the rescue an equal amount to pay our vet bills with.
Although we've held 50-50s before, we were pleased and surprised at how many of you purchased entire books of tickets for $100. When it comes to helping animals, your generosity never lets us down.
THANK YOU to ticket sellers for helping us spread the word, ticket buyers, and Valleyview Co op for allowing us to fundraise and promote our rescue in your store.
NEXT UP: We are already collecting prizes for our favorite fundraiser of the year, the pre-Christmas online auction starting on Nov. 24. Contact us if you have a new item to donate.
New Adoptions Manager
Sept. 24, 2023: Virden Pet Network is thrilled to introduce Alicia Gooden as our new adoptions manager.
Alicia has been fostering for our rescue, fundraising, sponsoring cats, and supporting us in countless ways over recent years. Alicia and her husband Dan Roberts own and operate the Virden Carwash.
She's also an archeologist who teaches at Brandon University and works on Manitoba digs in summer. She and Dan have two delightful daughters who are also nuts for animals and participate actively in fostering duties at home.
Alicia is replacing our Kathy Heaman (it hurts me just to type those words) who was ready to retire from rescue work, although she will remain on our board and will forever be a treasured friend of our organization.
I recruited Kathy at one of our fundraising barbecues (10-ish years ago, Kathy?) and it was the best decision I ever made. Thank you for fostering too many cats in your home, for talking me down from my many furies, for being my auxiliary memory, and for being the calm, collected diplomat that every organization needs.
Enjoy some well deserved R&R, Kathy.
Welcome Alicia to our small but mighty family!
-Heather Reimer, VPN President
Important Changes to Spay-Neuter Program
Aug. 10, 2023 Update
Due to long waits for surgical appointments in Virden, we have expanded the LCSN program to include the vet clinic in Redvers, SK. (approx. 40 minutes from Virden).
The management at Head for the Hills has generously agreed to offer reduced spay-neuter pricing to pet owners who have been approved by Virden Pet Network for LCSN. This is particularly helpful to owners of pets that need the procedure sooner than later since Redvers can usually get us in within a week or two.
Please see our LCSN page for more details, complete the application and then contact us for rates.
Feb. 14, 2023
Our friends at Virden Animal Hospital are doing an amazing job trying to manage a high demand for vet services and a shortage of veterinarians (which is impacting many clinics across the province.)
This has meant that many of the pets we approve for our Low Cost Spay Neuter Program are having to wait four months or longer to get the procedure done in Virden.
To reduce this bottleneck, we've decided to limit our LCSN program to a smaller geographic area, as a temporary measure, until things improve. We are also limiting access to the LCSN program to one pet per family until the situation eases.
Please visit our LCSN page to learn about the new guidelines to find out if you qualify. Thank you for your understanding.
Nine the cat and his relieved mom Joy
"Miracles Can Happen"
The cat came back!
This is the story of Nine, the cat who came back after being lost for six months, told by his owner Joy Lees of Virden.
On May 17, 2022, my cat Nine, went missing from around Ice Cream Island in Virden. I spent the next few weeks biking around town every day looking for him.
I asked everyone I knew to keep an eye out for him and put multiple posts up on Facebook for him. I searched every lost pet group that I could find in the area with no luck.
Then I got a call from my friend's mom. She told me that Nine was sneaking in her doggie door at night and during the day when she wasn't home! He had finally warmed up to her enough that he ended up crawling in bed with her the night before! She figured out that it was him for sure.
Thank you Kellie Flannery for bringing my Nine home to me six months later!!
Miracles can happen and I want to thank Kellie (and her neighbor) for feeding him for the last while, Rick Walker for tirelessly watching for him and sending me every post he saw with black cats in it, and the Virden Pet Network for putting up with my endless messages to them in regards to cats that I thought were maybe Nine and also for posting his missing ad over and over for me.
He's glad to be home and Kat and I are even more glad to have him home!!
Joy Lees