The MD of Bonnyville is putting their best paw forward.
The municipality has decided to carry on the MD Rural Cat Spay and Neuter Program after a successful pilot in 2018.
“It was brought forward by residents that there were… lots of feral cats running around,” detailed Reeve Greg Sawchuk.
The program was created by MD resident Silke Skinner last year, who had witnessed these programs in action in other communities.
After spaying/neutering 56 cats in its inaugural year, the MD felt it was worth continuing.
“We had the vets actually back it up and say that a program like this running for a few years could have a significant impact on the numbers,” exclaimed Sawchuk.
This year, the Bonnyville and District SPCA will be spearheading the program, and have partnered with the Bonnyville Vet Clinic.
Sawchuk said the MD felt getting the SPCA on-board was the best way to go because “they have the ability to leverage those funds with grants from the province.”
“We’re just happy the SPCA is taking this on, and we really appreciate the work by their volunteers,” he added.
The clinic is scheduled for Nov. 7, detailed Mereline Griffith, president of the local animal shelter.
Griffith stressed that the clinic is specifically for feral cats, not pets.
“It’s for the cats who are out in the MD, sometimes they’re just wild and sometimes they’re barn cats that need to be neutered in order to slow down the over population of cats.”
In order to get your name on the list, a resident must call the SPCA. They will be notified if they’ve made the cut and will be provided the proper forms to fill out leading up to registration day on Nov. 6.
There will be a small fee associated with the program this year, Griffith noted.
“This is a subsidized program sponsored by the MD of Bonnyville, so we’re charging a $20 processing fee.”
However, she added, their fee is a fraction of the cost of having an animal spayed or neutered elsewhere.
“That’s partly why people don’t get their cats spayed or neutered, because it’s just way too expensive,” Griffith expressed.
She added, these programs have proven to reduce the number of feral cats across the country.
“The overpopulation of cats is a crisis in Canada,” said Griffith. “It’s still a crisis, but it has improved since the spay and neuter programs have become more popular. I believe it’s helping.”
She continued, “Spay and neuter helps curb the over population of cats. Secondly, it’s humane, because there’s less cats out there in the cold weather, suffering, freezing, and starving.”
The SPCA feels this is a “big step towards beginning the process of deal with with overpopulation of rural cats.”
