Marital hiss: Cat rescue raises more than $30K with donation to annoy ex-husband

Somewhere in Saskatchewan, someone's ex-husband is probably having a cat-astrophic week.

A cat rescue in Saskatoon has started an unconventional fundraising campaign that involved some post-marital pettiness, but no one thought the $10,000 goal would be raised in less than 72 hours. 

Ashlyn Weninger, president of SOS Prairie Rescue, said a supporter reached out to make a sizable donation after coming into some money during a divorce.

The supporter, who has asked to remain anonymous, agreed to match donations up to $10,000, knowing that spending the money would bother her ex-husband.

"She was keen to do some good for the rescue cats while irritating him," Weninger said in an interview.

And that’s how the "Spite for Strays" campaign turned into the purrfect revenge for the divorcee. 

Weninger wrote a cheeky social media post last Thursday night and, by the next morning, the news began to circulate around the world.

Donations not only came in from across Canada and the United States, but also the United Kingdom, Croatia and Sweden.

So far, SOS Prairie Rescue has raised more than $30,000 from the campaign.

"I tried to think of something a little humorous to get people's attention, but you just never expect posts to reach as many views as they have or have as many shares," she said. "It's very exciting."

The organization is continuing to collect donations through the campaign until Dec. 1, before wrapping it "with some fun things up our sleeve."

"We might be able to do a few words from the lady herself and get some feedback from her," she said. 

The money raised so far is a big help for the organization, which had more than half a million dollars in vet costs last year. 

Weninger said the rescue had to close its intake a few weeks ago to be able to catch up on its 2026 veterinary expenses. About $60,000 is needed to open their intake doors.

"But being able to raise such a large amount in such a short amount of time is a huge relief," she said.

In all, Weninger said she and the volunteers who run SOS Prairie Rescue have been touched by the outpouring of support for their cause.

"I think a lot of people can resonate with the breakup of a relationship and putting your energy to some change for good in the world," she said.

"I hope this will inspire people to turn their negative feelings toward helping their local rescue or charity organization."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2026.

— by Daniela Germano in Edmonton

Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.