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Giving Tuesday: Richmond animal charity offering free veterinary care

In the spirit of Giving Tuesday, a Richmond-based animal welfare charity will choose a worthy recipient every Friday in December to receive 100 per cent subsidized in-hospital care to pets whose families are affected by hardships due to COVID-19.
RAPS
RAPS is giving away fully subsidized hospital care to four deserving pet owners during December. RAPS Facebook photo

In the spirit of Giving Tuesday, a Richmond-based animal welfare charity will choose a worthy recipient every Friday in December to receive 100 per cent subsidized in-hospital care to pets whose families are affected by hardships due to COVID-19.

Thanks to a generous donation, the Regional Animal Protection Society (RAPS) is able to fully subsidize in-house veterinary services for four very needy pets during the month of December at its animal hospital.

There will be no ceiling on the cost for the in-house services for the veterinary care provided and the required treatments, which could include therapy in Canada’s only hyperbaric oxygen facility for animals.

“During the pandemic, RAPS has shared many heartbreaking animal stories with the public and raised funds to care for the animals at RAPS,” said 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.”

RAPS is asking people to share their story for assistance via RAPS’ social media channels and is reaching out to the public to nominate others deserving of being chosen.

“People can go onto our Facebook page for the posting on this program and tell us their story,” explained 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.”

Lichtmann said RAPS has already provided $2 million in full or partial subsidies since its hospital opened in 2018 in the grounds of the Richmond Auto Mall.

“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,” he said.

“We believe no animal should miss out on necessary veterinary care because of the financial hardships of their loving families.”

For more details, go to RAPS Facebook page here.

Anyone wanting to donate to RAPS can do so at www.rapsbc.com.