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Regional Animal Protection Society aims to ease COVID-19-related hardship with 100 per cent subsidies for in-house veterinary care

Photo courtesy RAPS

This Giving Tuesday, RAPS is giving back

By Richmond Sentinel

Published 11:48 PST, Tue December 1, 2020

Last Updated: 2:13 PDT, Wed May 12, 2021

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The Regional Animal Protection Society is announcing an exciting financial assistance program for the holidays. As operator of the RAPS Animal Hospital, BC’s largest full-service, not-for-profit veterinary facility, RAPS will provide 100 per cent subsidies for in-hospital care to four pets whose families are affected by hardships due to COVID-19.

“During the pandemic, RAPS has shared many heartbreaking animal stories with the public and raised funds to care for the animals at RAPS,” says RAPS CEO Eyal Lichtmann. “But we also realize that the great majority of animals needing care reside in people’s homes, not at shelters. People at home, caring for animals, need help also. That is why RAPS’ mission is to help animals and their people. So this Giving Tuesday, RAPS is giving back to people in need.”

Thanks to a generous donation RAPS received, in addition to regular subsidies and payment plans, RAPS is able to fully subsidize in-house veterinary services for a few very needy pets during the month of December at the RAPS Animal Hospital. There will be no ceiling on the cost for the in-house services for the veterinary care provided for the stories chosen and the required treatments, which could include therapy in Canada’s only hyperbaric oxygen facility for animals. RAPS’ resources are limited but we wish to share what we have by investing in the community.

“We already offer extensive financial assistance to the communities we serve,” explains Lichtmann. “In fact, we have provided $2 million in full or partial subsidies since the hospital opened in 2018. Yet, we realize there are some people who cannot make any vet bill payments due to COVID-19 hardships and we want to do everything we can to help those pets. We believe no animal should miss out on necessary veterinary care because of the financial hardships of their loving families.”

People can share their story for assistance via RAPS’ social media channels. “People can go onto our Facebook page, facebook.com/RegionalAnimalProtectionSociety, for the posting on this program and tell us their story,” explains Lichtmann. “We are here to listen and we are here to help. But we need the assistance of the public in helping us choose these special financial assistance recipients. We want to hear from the public who they think we should help.”

The public, along with RAPS’ staff, will make a determination to choose one recipient every Friday in December 2020 to receive full in-house medical services at RAPS Animal Hospital because of the impact of COVID-19. RAPS Animal Hospital is community owned and the community should be part of the decision-making process.

One hundred per cent of the proceeds from regular clients at the RAPS Animal Hospital are reinvested into assisting animals and people in the community.

Those wishing to donate to the Regional Animal Protection Society to help offer further veterinary care subsidies year-round to pets in need can do so at www.rapsbc.com.