Winnipeg has seen a record number of animal seizures from homes this summer, including just last week when 130 dogs were taken from a residence. The Winnipeg Humane Society has called this an ongoing crisis. Thursday marks International Cat Day, and over at – affiliated with pet shelter, D’Arcy’s Animal Rescue Centre, or D’Arcy’s A.
R.C. and one of three cat cafés in Winnipeg – they’re hoping to get their last two kittens adopted to make room for more animals next week and help relieve shelters that are at capacity.
“We are operated from no government funding, so it’s been an interesting journey,” said Kayla Parkinson, manager of Annie’s Attic which opened in January 2021. Parkinson says Annie’s Attic owner D’Arcy Johnston is passionate about thrifting — he owns a thrift store and D’Arcy’s A.R.
C. She says Johnston also wanted to bring a cat café to Winnipeg’s North End. “He wanted to open a second thrift store, but he also had the passion for wanting a cat café so we decided to combine the two into one,” said Parkinson.
“Anything you buy from the cafe, the thrift shop, all the proceeds go to the homeless animals.” The shop’s café offers coffee and drinks, as well as baked goods from local bakeries including Goodies Bake Shop and Gunn’s Bakery. On the thrifting side, Parkinson says they do their best to try and keep prices on the lower end, so they can also support the North End community looking for items.
Off to the side is the cat room — the main attraction at Annie’s Attic — where enthusiasts can visit and play with felines, which all come from D’Arcy’s A.R.C.
In total, Annie’s Attic can take 5-6 cats at a time. “At the beginning of the week, we had five kittens. Now we only have two so we’ve adopted three out in two days, so that’s a success for us,” said Parkinson.
“The two that we have here right now are Molly Mint Chocolate. So she’s a beautiful black cat. And then we have Vivian Velveeta, and she’s a beautiful dark tabby.
Parkinson is hoping to continue this good streak and hopes next week Molly Mint and Vivian Velveeta will find their fur-ever homes – meaning another small group of cats will be able to take their place at Annie’s Attic. “Adoption is very important because it helps with the overpopulation in the city. It also creates a life-long bond with the animal you’re adopting and also the shelter.
You get resources from the shelter. Right now, D’Arcy’s A.R.
C. is a for-life shelter, meaning that we will keep the animal as long as it takes for them to get a home. We love animals so much that we’re committed to finding them the perfect home.
” A pet owner herself, with a 10-year-old rescued cat and a 15-year-old dog, Parkinson says cats are great companions for people with smaller spaces or people who need a less high-maintenance animal. “They’re small, so they’re great for apartments or people that have smaller homes. In terms of commitment, they don’t require as much of a commitment because they don’t have to be walked several times a day.
They tend to eat a little less food than a big dog and they live quite a long time, so you create a bond and they do become part of your family.” Anyone looking to adopt Molly Mint Chocolate or Vivian Velveeta can contact the shop. For those looking to support the café’s efforts, Parkinson announced Saturday is a great day for thrifting, as all items will be an additional 50 per cent off.
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