It’s official. RAPS – Richmond’s animal shelter – has changed its name and is now called the “Regional” Animal Protection Society.
British Columbia’s Registrar of Companies this week approved a change of name for the old Richmond Animal Protection Society.
“The change represents the reality that we serve animals from far beyond the City of Richmond, many of whom come to us because of our no-kill commitment,” said Eyal Lichtmann, CEO of the now Regional Animal Protection Society (RAPS).
The change of name coincides with the launch of a capital campaign to complete construction of the RAPS Regional Animal Hospital, as reported in the Richmond News in the spring.
The hospital, anticipated to open by the end of 2017, will eliminate RAPS’ external veterinary expenses and, according to the organization, “create revenue to support all the programs RAPS operates to save and improve the lives of animals.”
“This is the final component of a revolutionary ‘RAPS Model’ of no-kill animal care,” says Fearn Edmonds, president of RAPS.
“We are creating a sustainable model of community-supported, social enterprise no-kill animal care.”
Once fully operationalized here, the RAPS Model – which includes sheltering, animal sanctuaries, fostering, spaying and neutering and social enterprise – will be “codified and shared,” added Lichtmann, with other no-kill animal care agencies across Canada and internationally, potentially “saving the lives of…millions of animals.”
“This is an entirely new approach to animal welfare,” he said.
“One that is the right thing to do – economically and ethically.”
