A family in a town south of Red Deer says their beloved pet would still be alive today if a bylaw officer correctly followed the municipality’s bylaws.
Mike Piesse says his family cat named Mikey escaped from their home in Innisfail on Friday, June 8. The unlicensed pet was captured by a bylaw officer and transported to the municipal building.
After Mikey failed to return home after a few days, Piesse contacted the town office on the morning of Monday, June 11 to see if the cat was in their possession. The employee said they didn’t know if the cat had been seized and Piesse said he would call them back that afternoon.
Mikey was euthanized by a veterinarian prior to Piesse’s second phone call. An employee informed Piesse on the phone that a sick cat matching Mikey’s description had been put down.
According to Town of Innisfail bylaws, an animal is to be held for a minimum of 72 hours before it is destroyed and Sundays do not count towards the total.
The Town of Innisfail says it accepts responsibility for Mikey’s untimely death.
“It isn’t our intent to see any cat euthanized or any animal euthanized,” said Michelle Honeyman, director of community service for the Town of Innisfail. “As we review our bylaws and procedures, we want to ensure that euthanization is a last resort and not a first.”
Honeyman says plans are in place to ensure protocols are clear to avoid future mistakes.
The report submitted by the bylaw officer following the capture of Mikey indicated the cat was ill and did not have microchip identification. The Town of Innisfail says the report was inaccurate as Mikey was both healthy and microchipped.
The bylaw officer, who has not been named, has resigned from her position.
Town officials say Mikey was the first cat to be euthanized in Innisfail. The town normally post photos of seized or missing pets on its Facebook page in an attempt to reunite the animals with their owners.
With files from CTV's Brad MacLeod
