Dozens of cats need help after Calgary owner surrenders them

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.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
W5 EXCLUSIVE | Interviewing a narco hitman: my journey into Mexico's cartel heartland
W5 goes deep into the narco heartland to interview a commander with one of Mexico's most brutal cartels. W5's documentary 'Narco Avocados' airs Saturday at 7 pm on CTV.

Tyre Nichols' brutal beating by police shown on video
Memphis authorities released video footage Friday showing Tyre Nichols being beaten by police officers who held the Black motorist down and repeatedly struck him with their fists, boots and batons as he screamed for his mother and pleaded, ''I'm just trying to go home.'
OPINION | Selling a home? How to know if you qualify for a capital gains exemption
When selling a home, Canadians may be exempted from paying capital gains tax on a residential property -- if it's their principal residence. On CTVNews.ca, personal finance contributor Christopher Liew explains what's determined as a principal residence, and what properties are eligible for the exemption.
CRA head says it 'wouldn't be worth the effort' to review all ineligible pandemic payments
The head of the Canada Revenue Agency says it 'wouldn't be worth the effort' to fully review $15.5 billion in potentially ineligible pandemic wage benefit payments flagged by Canada's Auditor General.
Lifelong Toronto Maple Leafs fan fulfils dream of seeing first game, passes away next day
Mike Davy always dreamed of going to a Toronto Maple Leafs game, and once it finally happened, he passed away the night after.
'This is too much': B.C. mom records police handcuffing 12-year-old in hospital
A review has been launched after police officers were recorded restraining a handcuffed Indigenous child on the floor of a Vancouver hospital – an incident the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs has denounced as "horrendous."
WHO decision on COVID-19 emergency won't affect Canada's response: Tam
The World Health Organization will announce Monday whether it thinks COVID-19 still represents a global health emergency but Canada's top doctor says regardless of what the international body decides, Canada's response to the coronavirus will not change.
Canadian university faculty getting older, more female compared to 50 years ago: StatCan
Canadian university professors are mostly older and increasingly more female compared to 50 years ago, a new report from Statistics Canada has found.
Canadian Hyundai vehicles unaffected by theft issue in the U.S., company says
Hyundai cars in Canada don't have the same anti-theft issue compared to those in the United States, a company spokesperson says, following reports that two American auto insurers are refusing to write policies for older models.