Since 1991, volunteers at Critteraid have provided care and shelter to cats and other animals in need of homes.
On Saturday, the organization was recognized for this dedication with the Mayor’s Award of Excellence at the 76th annual Summerland Business and Community Awards.
While the organization started out as a cat sanctuary, it has grown and expanded over the years.
Today, Critteraid is based on a four-hectare farm, providing sanctuary for cats, dogs and livestock.
The organization has also started several programs and services over the years, including the Canadian Disaster Animal Response Team, Dog House Division, an education program, Project Equus and Project Croc Talk.
Critteraid also operates a charity shop on Victoria Road North, which creates awareness of the society and raises money for Critteraid.
“Look at this dog dish we got,” Critteraid founder Deborah Silk said as she received the award on Saturday.
She thanked Critteraid’s volunteers for their work with the charity.
She said Critteraid is often the last option for the animals in its care.
The animals have included feral cats as well as abandoned or unwanted dogs, cats, horses and other domestic animals.
In the future, she said Critteraid will work on education and raising awareness of the needs of animals.
“The key is definitely education,” she said. “We have to put a lot of energy to that end.”
She would like to organize discussions and meetings about the needs of animals.
“Everybody’s being faced with animal welfare issues,” she said.
“People have got to do something.”