2015 Alumni Distinction Award Winner

DarleneDarlene Quinsey

Nursing 1983

Darlene has been a nurse for over 30 years and in 2004 she formed Fixed “Fur” Life, which focuses on spaying and neutering stray animals and finding suitable homes.

During her time volunteering at a local shelter, she was surprised at the high rate of euthanasia rates for strays. Not sure what could be done, she researched and found other institutions that were successful. After a conference in Windsor in 2004 about how to implement the non-euthanasia model, she came home and implemented the model in the Quinte area.

There is no shelter; volunteers foster the animals until they are adopted and there is a 100% success rate to have the animal spayed and neutered before adoption. With no government funding or big fundraisers, she has been able to make this non-profit organization a success and help animals in the Quinte region find homes. As of July 1, 2015, Fixed Fur Life has spayed and neutered 18,106 cats and dogs (60 bunnies) in the Quinte area.