The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
The past several weeks have brought frigid temperatures to our area, and it has been a struggle to stay warm and keep our vehicles in running order. We are so lucky that our days end with a warm meal and a warm house to sleep in. Before you fall asleep at night do you ever wonder what happens to the abandoned cats and kittens in our area? Over the past couple of weeks I have received two phone calls from distressed people who have been to the Creighton dump and witnessed the plight of the abandoned cats living there. I decided to go myself and see what they were talking about. Using cat food and sardines as bait, it wasn't long before I found what I was looking for. The starving cats and kittens couldn't get enough to eat. Their coats were dull and dirty, but the worst thing to see was their ears and tails that were literally falling off in front of my eyes. With no proper shelter the very young and the weak kittens and cats succumb to the cold and lose body parts before death relieves them of their suffering. Cats at the Creighton dump have been an ongoing problem for years. So much so that a great deal of apathy towards them exists. It's hard to believe that out of the hundreds of people who visit the dump only two were moved enough to phone me. The practice of dumping unwanted cats and litters of kittens at the dump must stop. Cats are not garbage. The Town of Creighton continues to take steps to rectify the situation. People seen abandoning cats and kittens may be charged under the Criminal Code of Canada. The maximum fine is $500 or six months in jail, or both. If anyone witnesses a person in the act of abandoning a cat or dog at the dump (or anywhere else), please contact the RCMP. Three winters ago the Animal Control Officer brought in a large black and white cat to the vet clinic where I was working at the time. The cat had been living at the dump, but when food got scarce he had made his way into town and had been caught in a live trap. He was brought to the vet clinic to be euthanized. I will never forget this boy as he talked to us as we were putting him down. He knew what was going to happen to him and I believe he was begging us for his life. I felt so bad, as winter was just about over and I knew how hard he had fought to stay alive. His ears were gone and he only had half a tail left. Though he was thin he was still big, and because of his size we thought he must be a Tom cat. A quick check revealed that he was a neutered male. Karen, the vet, said, "Someone loved him - once." It is much more humane to have your cat spayed or neutered rather than contribute to the problem at the Creighton dump. There are not enough homes for all the kittens currently being born in our area. Because our SPCA does not have a shelter, we are limited in the number of cats and kittens we can take in. As citizens of the community you have a responsibility to see that your pet is spayed or neutered. Cats are not garbage. Please don't treat them that way.
