After 32 cats were left at a BC SPCA animal centre, 15 have been transferred to Surrey to help them have a better chance at finding a forever home.
The cats, ranging in age from three months to five years old, were left in plastic containers outside the gates of the BC SPCA Sunshine Coast animal centre in Sechelt on Dec. 5 around 9 a.m.
Branch manager Marika Donnelly was astonished at the large number abandoned at the centre’s gate.
“This is the largest number of animals left at a BC SPCA animal centre that I can recall,” Donnelly said in a news release.
“Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for a litter or kittens or a dog to be left outside an animal centre, but to find more than 30 cats is unheard of!”
The plastic containers were taped shut, with multiple cats in each.
“The cats were left outside of our main gate, as the animal centre was closed at the time. Our staff and volunteers were working at the back of the animal centre and could not see the parking lot when they were dropped off,” Donnelly explained, noting they were found about 20 minutes later.
“Staff immediately started moving the cats from the plastic containers into proper pet carriers. As we were moving them, we realized that sadly, one of the cats was deceased.”
Usually, the branch will receive notice with such a large intake of animals and can plan ahead to use supports and resources from across the BC SPCA, which can include transferring animals out of a centre to make more room.
“When these cats appeared on our doorstep, we already had more than 50 animals in our care and only six kennels available. We had to close the animal centre to properly care for these animals and the others,” said Donnelly.
It took staff seven hours to triage all the cats and put together temporary housing, with staff setting up dog crates to house the cats. Fifteen of the cats were then transferred to the Surrey animal centre through the BC SPCA’s Drive for Lives program.
“Most of the cats are extremely friendly,” Layla Gilhooly, manager of BC SPCA Surrey, said in the release.
“They are currently being housed in kennels in our cat holding facility and, as soon as we open the door, they start a chorus calling out to us. As you walk over to them, most flop over for us, looking for some love and attention.”
Gilhooly said some of the cats are under-socialized and a little fearful, but the BC SPCA team is working to help make them more comfortable around people.
All of the cats were also treated for the parasite coccidia, which included baths on the first and last day of their course of medication to remove any remaining cysts in their fur.
“It took quite a bit of staff time to bathe all 15 of the cats,” Gilhooly said, adding most of the felines were quite cooperative.
All the cats have now completed their quarantine period and some were available for adoption starting Friday (Dec. 19); the remaining cats will be available for adoption after they have been spayed and neutered.
While the humane society’s staff understands what a difficult decision it can be to surrender an animal, it is important to surrender them properly, noted BC SPCA senior director of media and internal communications Kaila Wolf.
“We completely understand how hard it is when someone is faced with the decision of rehoming a pet. However, we do want to remind the public that abandoning an animal is a crime under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act,” Wolf said.
“If you’re struggling with the hard choice of needing to surrender your animal, please call the BC SPCA’s Animal Helpline team or at least speak with the animal centre staff, so we can help you, but also to ensure the animals receive the care they need right away.”
An animal-protection file has been opened, and an investigation is underway.
To help the BC SPCA care for these cats and other animals in their care, visit spca.bc.ca/donations-emergency-rescue