MEDICINE HAT, AB – Alberta Pound & Rescue Centre (APARC) has about 50 kittens that need a home this summer.
APARC Volunteer Samuel Sandidge says some have been adopted over the past week.
But it’s that time of year when there tends to be a lot of kittens with the nice weather.
And many have been orphaned, “A lot of the time they don’t have a mom because she has either doesn’t know where to find them again or hasn’t come back yet because of one reason or another.”
Sandidge says the shelter then has to provide all the food which includes expensive milk replacement.
The kittens have to be fed every two hours including overnight.
He says they’ve been found by people who were out for walks or under porches.
“We call it kitten season and it can start as early as March and end late into August depends on the year. This year has been one of the harder years on the shelter because of the number of orphaned kittens that have come in because when people find them a lot of time they don’t find a mom with them and that’s a lot more labor-intensive than a kitten with a mom.”
Sandidge says their volunteers and shelter staff have been doing an amazing job taking care of the animals.
Page & Whisker has donated a few cart fulls of kitten supplies, through the donations they receive there
APARC has also received lots of donations from the public.
“A lot of these items last months and months, if not years. So it’s really nice to have a good stock on hand,” Sandidge said.
A book sale at the Page & Whisker starting on Friday, July 31 will support APARC.
(Photo courtesy Ross Lavigne)Meantime, APARC opened a second shelter in Airdrie this spring. They’ve been working with the city since April 1 and have rescued a number of animals.
Sandidge adds the shelter in Airdrie open by appointment due to COVID-19 but adoptions are happening there, even this past week.
He says they’re excited to be the first shelter in Airdrie.
And about half of the kittens and cats that were at the Page & Whisker are from Airdrie.
