Five feral felines that took shelter under a Turner Valley church have a better chance at survival following a community-wide effort. Responding to concerns from nearby residents, the High Country SPCA, Diamond Valley Veterinary Clinic and Town of Turner Valley worked together to trap and provide care for two female cats and four kittens. “We had a few people come up to us and were asking if we could trap some kittens and moms living under the church on the Main Street in Turner Valley,” said Susi John, High Country SPCA volunteer, clinic manager and veterinary assistant. “We had multiple complaints. The SPCA decided let’s get these kittens out of there and keep the population down.” The SPCA received permission from the St. George’s Anglican Church property owner, where the cats were living, to trap the animals. Six cats were captured on Aug. 31 and treated by the veterinary clinic. John said the adult females, both of which were spayed, went to a farm and the six-week-old kittens, which had already been weaned, are being cared for at a foster home. “Because we don’t have a building we have to right away find places for them,” she said. “The wild cats, we can’t have them in the clinic. If dogs come they go crazy. We have to have a home lined up.” Turner Valley peace officer Trever Bowman said a cat trap was set for just a day and checked every two hours to ensure the felines weren’t distressed. “We set up a humane trap that allows us to get them impounded or returned to their owner,” he said, adding the cats had no chips or tattoos and no one claimed them. “There were concerns regarding these kittens’ well-being because they weren’t being housed.” Bowman said Turner Valley has a no kill policy. “We will not put down animals or partner with organizations that do,” he said. “We have a network of shelters and adoption agencies we use to get these cats into homes, including a farm for feral cats.” When it comes to trappings, Bowman said traps are never placed on public property. “They are at the request of property owners only and any cats that are impounded if they have a licence, like they are supposed to, they are returned to their owner promptly,” he said. “Otherwise we hold them for three days and then send them to partner agencies. Everything is done with the best interests of the animals.” Involved in the process is Diamond Valley Veterinary Clinic owner Dr. Wayne Steiger, who said he treats 30 to 40 stray animals annually and several pets when owners are struggling financially. “We certainly do them at a reduced rate and we do a spay clinic a couple times a year for people who can’t afford to have them done,” he said. “Veterinarians from all over come to help. It’s to make sure we’re not going to increase feral populations.” In Alberta’s cold climate, Steiger said it’s important to ensure all cats and dogs have a home to keep warm in. “It gets cold and a lot of those animals will suffer,” he said. “We’re trying to control it in our town and a lot of veterinarians are doing it in their towns.” In this case, the adult cats were healthy, although one had suffered from frostbite on an ear last winter. The kittens were thin, he said. The High Country SPCA is looking for foster homes for homeless cats and dogs and money to help support those requiring veterinary care, said John. The clinic provided discounted dental work for several dogs this year when owners couldn’t afford the bill, she said. “That always eats up a lot of money,” she said. “We had some very neglected dogs come in. There are always people where everything else is more important than their pet. Don’t rescue if you can’t look after it.” The SPCA’s biggest fundraiser is a Christmas market in Turner Valley each December, which raises about $3,000 towards the SPCA's approximately $11,000 in annual expenses. Anyone wanting to donate to the High Country SPCA can do so by mailing a cheque to Box 1163 Turner Valley T0L 2A0, dropping money off at the Diamond Valley Veterinary Clinic in Turner Valley or by calling the clinic at 403-933-4397.
