Cat-astrophe: Stray and abandoned cats on the loose after fence cut at Lethbridge rescue
Volunteers at the Last Chance Cat Ranch woke up to discover the rescue society had been vandalized overnight, when someone cut a wire fence on of the outdoor pens, allowing some of the felines to escape.
“It’s always a concern that someone might come in and so something nefarious,” said volunteer Laurie Olmsted, who came in to help round up the missing animals.
The incident was captured by surveillance cameras mounted on the property. The video shows two people approaching the front door. One of them, a woman, then makes her way into the backyard, where she crouches beside the catio, a fenced enclosure that’s attached to the garage.
Cats housed in the garage can access the catio through a small pet door.
When volunteers arrived on scene, they found an opening had been cut into the wire fence, and a number of cats were missing.
“It breaks my heart,” said rescue volunteer Michelle Hansen.
“I tear up thinking we might have cats that we might not get back. It’s terrible and it’s cruel that somebody would do this."
Last Chance Cat Ranch is a non-for-profit rescue organization that has been in operation since 2003.
Their mission is to save homeless cats and kittens, and find forever homes for strays or abandoned cats.
Founder Elizabeth Ginn said 14 cats were housed inside the garage and catio, including a pair that were in the process of being adopted. The area is also used to house some of the older, sanctuary cats with disabilities or health issues.
Wire was cut in fencing to allow the cats to escape. (Courtesyt Last Chance Cat Ranch)
“The catio is where they go to get fresh air, and enjoy the sun and listen to the birds,” said Ginn.
“It’s a very safe environment for them, until this.”
Not all of the cats left the sanctuary.
Hansen said several remained inside the garage or stayed nearby.
“They know my voice so I’ve been calling for them, and we did have one little guy come back," she said.
Volunteers spent the morning searching the neighborhood and have set up some traps baited with food, to try and entice them back to the yard.
As of Tuesday afternoon, three of the cats were still missing.
Olmsted said two of the animals came from a homeless situation, are quite shy, and may be difficult to catch.
“Everyone cares,” she said. “We invest a lot of time and love in these animals and to have them let go like that is hard.”
Ginn says the rescue society is looking at how it can make their property more secure, including stronger fencing or the possibility they may have to hire overnight security.
But she said those options would be an extra expense, for a non-profit that relies on public donations to cover operating costs.
Volunteers have contacted police, and said they will be handing over the surveillance video to help with the investigation.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Budget 2024 'likely to be the worst' in decades, former BoC governor says
Without having seen it, former Bank of Canada governor David Dodge believes that Tuesday's 2024 federal budget from Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland is 'likely to be the worst budget' in decades.
What's at stake for Canada after Iran's unprecedented attack on Israel
Following the Iranian missile and drone strikes against Israel over the weekend, Canada should take the threat of Iran and potential escalation of the conflict seriously, one global affairs analyst says.
Former B.C. school trustee's 'strip-tease artist' remark was defamatory, judge rules
A controversial former school trustee from B.C.'s Fraser Valley who described a political rival as a "strip-tease artist" during an election campaign has been ordered to pay her $45,000 for defamation.
'A sense of urgency': Sask. man accused of abducting daughter calls himself to the stand during trial
Michael Gordon Jackson, the man on trial after being charged with contravention of a custody order for allegedly abducting his daughter in late 2021 to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, called himself to the stand Monday.
Kingston, Ont.'s Aaliyah Edwards drafted into WNBA
After four years at the University of Connecticut, Edwards was selected sixth overall by the Washington Mystics in the WNBA draft Monday night.
NASA confirms mystery object that crashed through roof of Florida home came from space station
NASA confirmed Monday that a mystery object that crashed through the roof of a Florida home last month was a chunk of space junk from equipment discarded at the International Space Station.
A knife attack in Australia against a bishop and a priest is being treated as terrorism, police say
Horrified worshippers watched online and in person as a bishop was stabbed at the altar during a church service in Sydney on Sunday evening.
Body of 14-year-old boy pulled from Lake Ontario, police say he drowned while swimming
The body of a 14-year-old boy has been pulled from Lake Ontario after police say he drowned while swimming near Ashbridges Bay Park on Sunday night.
'Rust' armourer gets 18 months in prison for fatal shooting by Alec Baldwin on set
A movie weapons supervisor was sentenced to 18 months in prison in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer by Alec Baldwin on the set of 'Rust.'