Victoria man's estate leaves $518K to animal shelter in honour of beloved cat

Victoria -

A Victoria man has bequeathed more than half a million dollars to a local animal shelter in honour of his beloved cat, according to the Capital Regional District.

The district said Thursday that Francis Gordon Ainsworth left $518,000 to the CRD Animal Shelter upon his death last December.

Ainsworth and his partner of 50 years, Robert Alvin Carter, donated annually to the shelter in the name their pet cat, Whiskey, the CRD said.

Carter died in 2018, according to an obituary for Ainsworth in the Times-Colonist newspaper.

Following Carter’s death, “Whiskey the Cat provided unconditional love and companionship during this difficult time,” the obituary noted.

“Mr. Ainsworth and Mr. Carter learned about the work of the CRD at a community outreach event where the animal shelter was promoting its work,” the regional district said in a statement Thursday.

“Inspired by staff’s passion for animal welfare, they became annual donors and were pleased to be able to assist with providing new beds for dogs, hide and perch boxes for the cats, and to help fund the care of extreme medical cases,” the CRD said.

The animal shelter at 5401 Pat Bay Highway offers a temporary home for injured and strayed pets and livestock.

The shelter has also provided emergency medical care to more than 400 animals over the past four years, at a cost of approximately $150,000 over the past four years, according to the regional district.