REGIONAL ANIMAL PROTECTION SOCIETY
RAPS Cat SanctuaryCanada’s largest cat sanctuary is home to hundreds of cats who have nowhere else to go.
At the Regional Animal Protection Society Cat Sanctuary, animals considered “unadoptable” elsewhere are given something rare: time, safety, and lifelong care. Many are seniors, shy, feral, or living with complex medical or behavioural needs — cats who might otherwise face euthanasia in other jurisdictions.
Here, they are not defined by limitations. They are valued, protected, and allowed to live out their lives with dignity and compassion.
The Sanctuary is the heart of our no-kill promise — ensuring every cat has a place to belong, for as long as they need.
ABOUT OUR CAT SANCTUARY
The Regional Animal Protection Society Cat Sanctuary began with a simple belief: every cat deserves safety, dignity, and care — no matter how old, shy, sick, or overlooked they may be.
What started in the late 1990s as a small group of dedicated volunteers humanely trapping and sterilizing stray and feral cats in Richmond grew into something far bigger. We quickly learned that reducing overpopulation wasn’t enough. Many cats still had nowhere safe to go.
So we created a place for them.
Today, the Sanctuary provides lifelong refuge to cats from across British Columbia and beyond — especially those who might otherwise face euthanasia. Seniors. Feral cats. Cats with chronic medical conditions like FIV or leukemia. Cats who simply need more time, patience, and understanding than most shelters can offer.
Our staff and volunteers specialize in meeting those complex needs, providing expert medical care, behavioural support, and compassionate daily attention so every cat can live comfortably and without fear.
For most residents, the Sanctuary is a forever home. And sometimes, with time and trust, a once-feral or frightened cat surprises everyone and becomes ready for adoption — a quiet reminder that second chances matter.
Our team of staff and volunteers have become experts in caring for cats with physical and behavioural issues, including FIV (“feline AIDS”), leukemia and other chronic but manageable conditions.
This is the heart of our no-kill promise: no deadlines, no giving up, and no animal left behind.
Above all, the Sanctuary serves as a vital safety valve — something far too many animal rescues simply don’t have. Without the space, time, and resources to care for animals for the full duration of their lives, even healthy, adoptable cats are euthanized across North America because shelters run out of room.
We refuse to let that happen here.
The RAPS Cat Sanctuary is a model for no-kill animal welfare and the foundation of our no-kill promise. It ensures that every cat in our care has a place to belong — for as long as they need, whether that’s weeks, months, or a lifetime.
Beyond safety, the sanctuary is also a place of connection and comfort. Hundreds of visitors each year — including seniors, school groups, and people who cannot have pets at home — come to spend time with the cats, finding companionship, calm, and joy through these interactions.
As the oldest program of the Regional Animal Protection Society, the sanctuary helped shape who we are today. Its growth mirrors our own evolution into one of Canada’s most innovative and compassionate animal-serving organizations — and it remains the heart of what makes the RAPS difference real.
VISIT THE RAPS CAT SANCTUARY
The Cat Sanctuary is open Saturdays and Sundays for visits!
- Please try to keep your visit to one hour so others can enjoy the sanctuary. Visitors may be asked to wait to be admitted entry when full capacity is reached.
- Children under 6 are not permitted due to safety.
- Children under 13 must be supervised by an adult at all times.
- Maximum two children per adult.
- Please do not bring outside animals into the sanctuary.
- Not all our cats are tame or friendly. Please ask before you touch.
- Many of our cats are on special diets. No outside treats.
- Absolutely no admission to cordoned off areas, closed pens or cages.
- Please let the cats come to you. Do not pick up the cats, disturb sleeping cats, chase cats or restrict a cat’s movements.
- Be gentle and respectful at all times.
- No flash photography.
Cat photo “Honey Bear” by Michele Wright, Furry Friends Photography.
SPONSOR A SANCTUARY CAT
There are a lot of things you could spend your money on. Are there any that would make you feel as good as knowing that you are saving and improving the life of an animal?
The sponsorship program was created to help provide the cats at the Sanctuary whose chances of being adopted into a loving home is not very promising.
