Who owns the RAPS Animal Hospital? You do!
The RAPS Animal Hospital, a new community project, opened on February 12 — Family Day in British Columbia — and hundreds of people and their animal companions celebrated the grand opening.
The RAPS Animal Hospital is a community-supported initiative of the Regional Animal Protection Society, which is made up of thousands of animal-loving people – like YOU! Check us out at www.rapsanimalhospital.com
The community has come together to make this project a reality. Applewood Nissan at the Richmond Auto Mall has donated rent free 6,000-square-feet of space for six years – a contribution valued at $500,000, Vancity has financed 100% of the equipment and construction of the hospital – $750,000, Mainland Ventures, our contractors donated more than $100,000 of their time and materials, and volunteers have contributed countless hours in various ways to get the RAPS Animal Hospital opened on time and on budget. The Richmond Auto Mall Association and the City of Richmond assisted with zoning and permit approvals.
A number of factors make the not-for-profit RAPS Animal Hospital a community project. It is governed by local people, supported by community partnerships, ensures cost-effective animal healthcare, supports educational programs and its vision and mission are to improve animal welfare by reinvesting in the community where we operate.
The Regional Animal Protection Society, which oversees the hospital, has a board of directors made up of local leaders who have decades of experience in animal health (veterinarians), animal welfare (the founders of RAPS have more than 30 years of animal welfare and advocacy experience), finance, marketing, business, human resource and not-for-profit expertise. These people are committed to making their community a better place and to ensure that the hospital is guided by the RAPS mission, rather than for profit. That means focusing on exceptional medical care rather than focusing on profits.
The main purpose of the RAPS Animal Hospital is to serve the medical needs of thousands of animals each year in RAPS’ care and to provide the public, including animals in low income households, with affordable veterinary care. Revenues generated by the hospital are reinvested to save and improve the lives of more animals in our community.
Simply stated, the mission of the RAPS Animal Hospital is to reinvest in your community.This community hospital project will allow RAPS to provide care for the animals at Canada’s largest cat sanctuary (home to about 500 unadoptable cats). This is a magical place and a model for animal care in Canada. We hope that, through your support as a client of the hospital, we can expand the RAPS Cat Sanctuary and save the lives of many more cats.
The RAPS Animal Hospital also provides healthcare for the City of Richmond Animal Shelter (approximately 1,200 animals per year), which costs hundreds of thousands of dollars annually. Some of these animals get adopted and others, who are unadoptable, are fostered through our foster-to-adopt program. These pets’ veterinary care is also provided by the RAPS Animal Hospital.
When you choose the RAPS Animal Hospital, you choose to have your fees reinvested in the community. That supports our commitment to improve the safety, welfare and lives of animals. RAPS’ animal food bank program, spay and neuter days (stay tuned for this), assistance to low-income households, educational campaigns in schools and the community, as well as summer training programs for students (including veterinary students doing practicums) are among the things that your support makes possible.
Thanks to the hospital, we have, and will have, so many happy endings … Like Euro, who lost a leg but whose life was saved by our talented, experienced vets. In so many other jurisdictions, a serious but remediable problem like Euro’s would have resulted in euthanasia. Thanks to RAPS’ no-kill promise – and our veterinarians’ orthopedic surgery skills – we saved Euro and she is enjoying life receiving the love of everyone she meets. Most of all, it is thanks to your support.
In the first three weeks since we opened, RAPS Animal Hospital vets have treated close to 100 City Shelter and RAPS Cat Sanctuary animals (including life-saving surgeries). That’s a lot of care and commitment in a short amount of time!
Please check out the RAPS Animal Hospital facilities here.
We trust that RAPS’ no-kill promise and our commitment to reinvest in the community are the reasons you choose to support us.
We depend on your financial support as a donor and as a client of the hospital. Because “When You Give … They Live”!
We’ve made a promise to the animals in our community. We hope you will help us keep it.
Can you help? Donate here. The animals – and the people – of RAPS thank you!