After two kittens were found abandoned in a child’s backpack last week in the St. Albert area, the Alberta SPCA and the Edmonton Humane Society (EHS) are reminding pet guardians about the importance of spaying and neutering their pets to prevent unwanted litters.
The six-month-old kittens were found together, enclosed in a pink backpack in a ditch. The Alberta SPCA has opened an investigation to determine the circumstances that led to the young cats being left in this manner.
“While it can be difficult to find homes for unwanted pets, it’s never acceptable to abandon an animal, especially in such a callous way,” says Alberta SPCA Provincial Supervisor, Peace Officer Stuart Dodds. “When Albertans take on the responsibility of owning or caring for a pet, they also accept the responsibility of finding their next home if they can no longer care for it.”
The kittens – a grey and white female named Pixie and a ginger tabby male named Christofur – were brought into the care of EHS. Aside from having ear mites, they were found to be otherwise healthy. They have undergone a mandatory stray hold and been spayed and neutered and will be available for adoption on EHS’ website later today.
“Spaying and neutering addresses the root cause of pet overpopulation in our community,” says EHS CEO, Liza Sunley. “In addition to being beneficial for the individual animal, it reduces unwanted litters and minimizes the number of homeless animals – and could have prevented these two young kittens from being left in the cold.”
“We understand the cost of the surgery can be prohibitive for some pet guardians, which is why all dogs, cats and rabbits adopted from EHS are already spayed or neutered, and we offer our Prevent Another Litter Subsidy (PALS) program for pets already in homes when their guardians are facing financial challenges,” added Sunley.
Details on the Humane Society’s adoption and spay/neuter programs can be found at edmontonhumanesociety.com. Anyone with information on these two kittens is encouraged to contact the Alberta SPCA’s Animal Protection Line at 1-800-455-9003.
