For 25 years, the MEOW Foundation has been a cornerstone of feline welfare in Calgary, built on a simple but powerful mission: Make Each One Wanted. Co-founded in 2000 by eleven dedicated volunteers — including Debbie Nelson, who remains at the helm today as Founder and Operations Manager — the organization was born out of urgent concern for the stray and abandoned cats facing euthanasia in the city, and a belief that a no-kill, cat-specific charity could do things differently.
Describe your charity/non-profit/volunteer work in a few sentences.
MEOW Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the rescue, care, and adoption of stray and abandoned cats in Calgary and surrounding areas, has been steadfast in our mission since its inception in 2000. Committed to providing compassionate and effective solutions to address the challenges faced by homeless, abandoned, and mistreated felines, MEOW Foundation employs a combination of humane programs to improve the lives of cats and promote responsible pet ownership. Our four core programs are: Rescue & Adoption, Trap Neuter Return (TNR), Spay Neuter Assistance Program (SNAP) and Cat Food Assistance Program.
What problem does it aim to solve?
Our core programs are designed to help solve the issue of overpopulation of felines to help reduce homelessness, neglect and cruelty.
When did you start/join it?
I am one of the founders, and MEOW was officially incorporated in July 2000. We recently celebrated our 25 th anniversary in July 2025.
What made you want to get involved?
Founded in 2000 by 11 dedicated volunteers in Calgary, MEOW Foundation arose from a shared concern for stray and abandoned cats facing euthanasia. The vision was to create a charity solely dedicated and specialized in feline care, with a no-kill policy, setting the standard for humane programs and cat behaviour expertise. Today, MEOW Foundation stands as a pillar in Calgary’s animal welfare community, with several founding members still contributing their time to our mission to Make Each One Wanted.
What was the situation like when you started?
There were very limited resources for cats in 2000 – not enough homes, no cat-specific programs such as TNR designed to support feline welfare, and as a consequence, a high rate of euthanasia.
How has it changed since?
Nowadays, there are far more resources available to cat owners. In addition to rescue and adoption and TNR, MEOW’s SNAP program is able to help 1500+ cat owners spay and neuter their cats each year. Over the years, the number of stray and abandoned cats in Calgary is slowly reducing, and MEOW is able to extend our resources to some pet surrenders, partner agency transfers and cats in rural areas.
What more needs to be done?
Our priority is always focused on helping cats and the people who love them through all our programs. Simply put, more cats need to be spayed and neutered. The more cats that are fixed, the fewer kittens born, which equals more resources available for the cats we continue to serve.
As MEOW Foundation looks to the future, we are committed to building on this legacy and continuing to make a positive difference in the lives of cats and the community it serves.
How can our readers help?
Readers can help by adopting, fostering, volunteering, donating or spreading the word to others about the work we do.
Where can we follow you?
Website | Facebook | Instagram
PAY IT FORWARD: What is an awesome local charity that you love?
We would like to do a shout-out to The Alex Community Health Centre.
The Alex provides many services in our community, from medical care to housing, food security, mental wellness, youth and family support, aging and addiction services and other social programs.
