By Gurneet Samra

SPCA over capacity for cats, urges residents to adopt

Nov 9, 2017 | 4:17 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – With around 120 cats being held at the Medicine Hat SPCA, the shelter says they are over “cat-pacity.”

The shelter is only built to hold about half that number. The cages in all three adult cat rooms are full, as are the cages in the kitten room at the front of the building. Executive Director Katie Ayres says the spike in intake this year is due to a number of reasons, including affordability.

“With our economy right now and more people out of work than maybe normal, and not everyone can afford to have of course a pet, when sometimes they’re struggling to pay their bills and feed their families,” said Ayres. She added that many owners surrender their pets because of behavioural issues.

The urgent need for space prompted the shelter to run a campaign called “Meow-vember.” The campaign runs until November 19th, and offers residents reduced adoption fees on cats and pets.

HERE'S WHAT TO KNOW

Summer pool hours extended and discounts applied as Big Marble Go Centre upgrades start

3h ago

Medicine Hat company drawing in clients with witty signage

Apr 16, 2024

Medicine Hat College holding event for missing and murdered Indigenous women awareness day

Apr 16, 2024

Ayres said the campaign has been successful. Typically about one cat is adopted per day, but since they launched Meow-vember, about two cats have found new homes each day.

Space however, is still an issue. There is a wait list for incoming cats and kittens, and Ayres said they have been asking owners to hold onto their cats until the shelter has room to take them in. The shelter will also undergo renovations in January.

“We’re renovating our cat holding area first, that’s where we first put the cats when they come into our building. So that area will be inaccessible for our staff during renovations,” said Ayres.

The shelter has taken in 494 cats in the past year, which is a 26% increase compared to the previous year.