Dozens of cats need help after Calgary owner surrenders them

Dozens of cats, surrendered to a Calgary animal rescue organization, are now in need of care.

A Calgary animal rescue society is turning to the public for financial support to care for a large amount of felines that have found their way into its shelters.

The Canadian Animal Task Force (CATF) says this year presented a challenge when a family member of a pet owner reached out for assistance.

An official with the organization says the caller was distraught and "desperate for help," so CATF couldn't ignore them despite the immense financial strain it would cause.

"We couldn't say no in this situation. The cats had nowhere to go, their owner recently passed away, leaving dozens of cats in need of help," said R.J. Bailot, CATF's executive director, in a statement.

CATF says all of the surrendered cats need medical attention, including vaccination and parasite treatments along with spay and neuter procedures. Several of them need more serious interventions such as dental work and medications, the group says.

"We are asking for the community's financial support to help us raise the much-needed funds as an intake this large will have a large impact on our resources," Bailot said. "It is important to us that each animal receives the care they deserve and we will do everything possible to make it happen."

Once all the cats have received appropriate care, CATF will work with partner agencies to ensure each cat is adopted.

As the group is looking for support, a local realtor says she will do her part to help out by creating her own campaign for CATF.

Heather Waddell says she will match donations, dollar-for-dollar, up to $10,000 toward what's needed.

Further information about CATF and its mission can be found online.