About Us
The Ottawa Stray Cat Rescue was founded in 2011 with a mission to
getting adoptable cats off the streets and into homes in addition to
supporting stray cat colonies in the Ottawa region. We are 100% volunteer based with three core programs that we use to
achieve our mission: Adoption Program, Trap-Neuter-Release (TNR) and Feral Cat Relocation.
Our team of volunteers rescue and care for cats in a large geographical area in the National Capital Region spanning Arnprior to the West, Winchester to the South and Casselman to the East. We save over 750 every year and feed and care for over 150 cats in our colonies on a day basis.
President (open)
Katie Jones,
Vice President, Acting President
After volunteering with a few different rescue organizations as a young adult, I founded OSCatR in 2011. My objective was to create an organization that would focus on the most vulnerable cats – those living out in the elements without homes. In the early days, rescue tasks consumed my day-to-day life. Fortunately, over the years the organization grew to the point where it is now made up of team of dedicated coordinators and volunteers, each managing different responsibilities. I currently manage daily operations for the rescue as part of this incredible team. Professionally, I have been a veterinarian since 2004. In my spare time, I enjoy providing pro-bono services to rescue organizations like OSCatR. I feel immensely proud to serve as the Vice President for an organization I have been with since its inception.
Sara Collins
Director
I have been volunteering with OSCatR since 2012. Over the years, I have assumed many different roles and undertaken a variety of tasks including acting as the volunteer coordinator, fostering, setting-up and running the barn program, organizing large scale multi-rescue fundraisers, organizing and administering online auctions, volunteering at events, and other odds and ends such as picking-up donations and baking for bake sales. It is an honour to serve as a Director for an organization that reflects my values and saves lives every single day.
Board of Directors
Mary Jo Latour
Director
I first adopted from OSCATR in 2012. I started fostering in 2013 and have since fostered over 160 cats from the Adoption and TNR programs . I have volunteered with OSCATR in different ways over these past 8 years. I currently have 3 cats of my own, all “foster- fails” , Harley, Quinn and Bandit. I am a retired elementary school teacher.
Charlene Morris
Secretary
I have volunteered with OSCatR since October 2015 as a foster parent. In that time, I have fostered over 110 cats. I have 3 cats of my own, Darwin, Mobius and Lester, who is an OSCatR foster fail. Professionally I work as a Investment Advisor.
Linda Marcoux
Treasurer
I have been with OSCATR since 2017 doing the finances and working mostly behind the scenes, but have fostered 22 cats and kittens and foster failed 2: Bobbi and McGee. Work as an Accountant with CUPE.
Who does what?
Program and team coordinators
Each Program area has a Coordinator and/or Lead who oversees the activities falling with the
program. Depending on the area this will include managing teams who undertake the broad
scope of activities and ensuring their work is always done in collaboration with the other
Coordinators and Teams as appropriate.
Director of Operations
Katie Jones,
Foster Coordinator
Volunteer Foster solicitation, screening, orientation, training, engagement and the various documentation and tools required for foster management activities. Ensuring appropriate animal care in the Foster Homes (Health monitoring and care) collaboration with Veterinary Partners and Clinics and assistance to fosters to ensuring they have what is needed to properly care for our animals and prepare the cats for placement. Collaboration with Intake, TNR and Adoption groups to ensure that appropriate matches are made and processes are followed asrequired.
Donations Coordinator
Coordinate the various teams receiving Non-Financial Donations offered to the organization for our work or to assist with the raising of funds required for our on-going work. Ensuring that
donation items are directed to the appropriate group for drop off or pick up arrangements through working with other Coordinators to manage a network of volunteers who are drop off locations, pick up locations, and the documentation required for reporting, storing, managing and tracking the accepted donations.
Grants and Corporate Sponsorship Coordinator
Work with the Board and other Coordinators to identify funding opportunities through Grants and Corporate Sponsorships, work as liaison with the organizations and manage the preparation, submission and processes for follow-up and additional work activities
Volunteer Coordinator
Volunteer solicitation, screening, orientation, training, engagement and the various
documentation and tools required for volunteer management activities. Lead on work to fill
vacant Coordinator Positions and collaborating with all of the other Coordinators to identify
needs for additional volunteers as needed, work to engage volunteers for projects, activities,
where the needs are identified to meet the organization’s priorities, and help with
documentation and tools to support activity work and projects. Consult and network with other
organization working in the Volunteer and/or Animal Health to identify areas of possible
collaboration with our programs and teams.
Intake Coordinator
First point of contact for individuals or organizations who have identified stray animals requiring assistance, triage contacts and advise next steps based on priorities, space available with us, and other options. Close collaboration with Foster, TNR and Adoption groups to identify possible placement within our organization, available volunteers/contacts available to assist with trapping or receiving animals, arrangements with Veterinary Partners or Clinics to have animals examined as soon as possible on intake and then working with Foster teams to identify appropriate matches are made and processes are followed as required.
Fundraisor Coordinator
Work with the various volunteer groups who are involved with the variety of fundraising activities
across the organization as well as external orgs and individuals supporting OSCatR through
external fundraising initiative. Work to schedule, support and lead on activities as required.
Various Fundraising Teams include: Bakers, Crafters, “Purrfet Pick”, “Cookies Help Cats”,
Merchandise, “Wine for Whiskers”, “Catjiji”, “Empties for Cats”, and individual events or
fundraising activities.
Marketing & Public Relations Coordinator
Lead and oversee teams providing on-going support for the organization in the areas of Public Relations, Donor Relations, Web and Social Media including multiple Facebook groups and pages, Newsletters, Marketing Material, Sponsorships, Graphics group, etc.
Adoptions Coordinator
Processing adoption applications, screening potential adopters, facilitating the connections
between interested adopters and available cats currently in our care and ready for adoption,
processing documentation and financials required to finalize adoptions.
Trap-Neuter-Release (TNR) Coordinator
TNR Volunteer Foster solicitation, screening, orientation, training, engagement and the various documentation and tools required for foster management activities. Ensuring appropriate animal care in the TNR Foster Homes (Health monitoring and care) and assistance to fosters to ensuring they have
what is needed to properly care for our animals and prepare the cats for placement. Collaboration with Intake Foster and Adoption groups to ensure that appropriate matches are made and processes are followed as required. Working with external partners and organization to initiate work in colonies, communities, etc to ensure coordination and collaboration on the work and possible relocation/placement of animals as required. Ensure that Colonies that are supported by the organization have proper feeders, food supplies and equipment to maintain the best possible environment for the cats.
Store Coordinator
Overseeing and managing activities, projects and teams supporting the on-going work of the Ottawa Stray Cat Rescue in the area of working with our Store Supporters and Partners.