No charges will be laid in connection to the alleged abandonment of 15 cats at the side of a Stettler-area road.
On Nov. 22, the cats were taken to the Alberta Animal Rescue Crew Society in Calgary by a man who claimed he found the nine kittens and six adult cats trapped in plastic-tote bins between Stettler and Erskine.
The man soon recanted his story, saying he made up the tale so an organization would accept them.
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Investigation into abandoned cats continues, despite change in story
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The Alberta SPCA investigated and concluded the cats were never in distress and it was confident the cats were never left on the side of the road.
The file is closed and no charges will be laid under the Animal Protection Act.
The Alberta SPCA said while Alberta’s animal shelters are often at capacity and unable to accept new surrenders, it encourages pet owners to have patience when trying to find an organization that will take animals.
The SPCA does not maintain its own shelter, but may be able to suggest partner agencies that are in a position to accept animals.
Pet owners should also be prepared to care for their pets until a suitable shelter with space is located.
An over population of cats remains a challenge in Alberta and animal welfare organizations encourage pet owners to get their pets spayed or neutered to help reduce the number of unwanted animals.