P.A.C.S. - Pierre's Alley Cat Society - Our story

Since 2005 Pierre has provided ongoing care and shelter for the cats at HMC Dockyard in Halifax, Nova Scotia.  While working with the Canadian Armed Forces (Navy), Pierre noticed many feral cats roaming the Dockyard and was disheartened by their poor living conditions, inadequate shelter, and lack of food.  He recognized and addressed the catastrophe and the inevitable escalation in the feral cat population. Thanks to Pierre’s compassion, unending determination, and commitment the lives of the Dockyard cats would soon be changed forever.

 Pierre began a Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) Program on the Dockyard to control and care for the growing feral cat population.  He humanely trapped each cat; had it examined, vaccinated, spayed/neutered, and then returned it to the colony.  One ear on each cat was “notched” (left ear for males/right ear for females); this indicated that they had been through the program. In addition, Pierre provided the cats with a safe shelter and food on a daily basis.

Currently, the population of Dockyard cats is stable; there have been no kittens born in the colony since 2007. On a regular basis the Dockyard cats are individually trapped, vet-checked, vaccinated and returned. Some of them have befriended Pierre and appear at meal-time during his daily visits; others remain aloof and stay away.  

In 2007 Pierre founded Pierre’s Alley Cat Society (PACS); a non-profit organization whose mission is to ease the suffering of stray and feral cats at the HMC Dockyard.  PACS currently partners with other volunteer groups on rescue projects and is an invaluable resource to the community on how to implement successful TNR programs. Their predicament is unacceptable and their numbers great.

As a result of Pierre’s extensive work with the Dockyard cats he has been affectionately dubbed as “the Catman”.  He has been featured in numerous newspaper and magazine articles, as well as in radio and TV interviews. In 2013, his efforts and hard work were recognized when he was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal by Brigadier-General (Ret’d) the Honorable J.J. Grant, 32^nd Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia. The medal was in recognition of Pierre’s contribution to animal welfare; specifically his work with the cats at the HMC Dockyard. It was definitely a proud moment. Additionally, PACS has recognized animals lost at war and in experimentation through the yearly laying of a wreath in their memory at Halifax’s Remembrance Day Ceremony. P.A.C.S. commitment is ongoing.