Published July 5, 2023 11:43 a.m. ET
Elizabeth Ginn, who deals with Lethbridge’s Last Chance Cat Ranch, says numerous homeowners of southern Alberta neighborhoods aren’t dealing with animals with the regard they are worthy of.
One of the significant problems the Last Chance Cat Ranch in Lethbridge deals with is pet desertion.
“People who come north to work, when they return south, they leave animals behind,” Elizabeth Ginn of the Last Chance Cat Ranch said. “However, it’s not just them. There’s also a fraction of people that just abandon them.”
Ginn says that the Last Chance Cat Ranch urges family pet owners to look after their animals, however individuals do not constantly listen and anticipate the center to be of help to them when something fails.
“They expect us to take over and solve their problems for them,” Ginn said.
“We’ve helped a few people with neutering and spaying their cats in Taber. And nobody ever says thank you. Nobody ever pays us back. It’s just a never-ending vicious circle in Taber. We get more calls, more social media posts, and messages to take cats from Taber.
“There are a couple of people in Taber, well maybe two or three, who really care, who are helping cats on their own, but they can’t be expected to keep paying all the vet bills for them out of their own pockets all the time.”
The Town, Ginn said, utilized to have actually $15,000 assigned to veterinary and feral cat programs, however that financing was terminated in 2021.
“A lot of cats are suffering up there,” Ginn said.
“Taber is at the top of the list, actually. They’re competing with Coaldale and Picture Butte and Raymond for the worst communities in southern Alberta outside of Lethbridge.
“That is because Lethbridge is really bad. Lethbridge has thousands of homeless cats around the city in various areas. And the City doesn’t care.
“They don’t do anything about it. And we have to keep, you know, doing what we can when we have the resources to do it.”
Ginn says that the Last Chance Cat Ranch will have been in operation for 20 years come September and the cycle of them trying to help suffering animals is quite vicious, as it is never ending.
“It’s not just southern Alberta,” Ginn said. “There needs to be some enhancement, however till more individuals start lobbying their own towns, it’s not going to alter. And animals are going to continue to suffer.”
Ginn says that R.J. Bailot, executive director of the Canadian Animal Task Force is making a journey to Taber in the future to run a trap, neuter, return center for cats which the town is moneying.
“The community needs to rally together to get more support, to help diminish suffering and abuse and neglect of cats,” Ginn said.
“Not simply in Taber, however all over southern Alberta, all over Alberta. Actually, it’s all over.”
Ginn says that the Last Chance Cat Ranch urges family pet owners to look after their animals, however individuals do not constantly listen and anticipate the center to be of help to them when something fails.
“They anticipate us to take control of and resolve their issues for them,” Ginn said.
“We've assisted a couple of individuals with neutering and purifying their cats in Taber. And no one ever says thank you. Nobody ever pays us back. It's simply a nonstop vicious cycle in Taber. We get more calls, more social networks posts, and messages to take cats from Taber.
"There are a number of individuals in Taber, well possibly 2 or 3, who truly care, who are assisting cats by themselves, however they can't be anticipated to keep paying all the veterinarian expenses for them out of their own pockets all the time.”
The Town, Ginn said, utilized to have actually $15,000 assigned to veterinary and feral cat programs, however that financing was terminated in 2021.
“A great deal of cats are suffering up there,” Ginn said.
“Taber is at the top of the list, really. They're taking on Coaldale and Picture Butte and Raymond for the worst neighborhoods in southern Alberta beyond Lethbridge.
"That is since Lethbridge is truly bad. Lethbridge has countless homeless cats around the city in different locations. And the City does not care.
"They do not do anything about it. And we need to keep, you understand, doing what we can when we have the resources to do it."
Ginn says that the Last Chance Cat Ranch will have functioned for twenty years come September and the cycle of them attempting to help suffering animals is rather vicious, as it is never ever ending.
"It's not simply southern Alberta,” Ginn said. "There needs to be some enhancement, however till more individuals start lobbying their own towns, it's not going to alter. And animals are going to continue to suffer."
Ginn says that R.J. Bailot, executive director of the Canadian Animal Task Force is making a journey to Taber in the future to run a trap, neuter, return center for cats which the town is moneying.
“The neighborhood requires to rally together to get more assistance, to help reduce suffering and abuse and overlook of cats,” Ginn said.
"Not simply in Taber, however all over southern Alberta, all over Alberta. Actually, it's all over."
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