Dozens of cats found in Saskatoon apartment will be euthanized
More than 70 cats found by the Saskatoon Fire Department from a single apartment will have to be put down, Animal Protection Services of Saskatchewan (APSS) says.
“Many of these cats were suffering from serious communicable disease,” APSS executive director Don Ferguson said in a statement to CTV News.
“APSS ensures every animal receives veterinary assessment and while some animals can be rehomed, because of the conditions that the animals were kept in, there is often a need to relieve animals of distress through humane euthanasia," he said.
"Euthanasia for disease control purposes is an emotional issue for everyone concerned. Sadly, it is often necessary due to the presence of infectious diseases which cannot be treated or animals are in a debilitating condition.”
Ferguson told CTV News they had rescued 47 cats and 25 kittens.
“It was one of the worst days for our officers,” he said, calling it an emotional and challenging day.
He said these situations impacted the mental health of animal protection officers, but he also expressed concern for the pet owners.
“Animal problems are caused by humans that have their own challenges or issues,” Ferguson said. “They were doing the best they could with the resources and abilities they have.”
The Saskatoon Fire Department (SFD) has shut down the apartment suite after finding the cats in the unit.
SFD said community concern alerted them to the suite in the 2300 block of 17th Street West.
During the investigation on Wednesday, inspectors found a high accumulation of animal feces throughout the suite, according to acting fire chief Yvonne Raymer.
The occupants have been removed and relocated as the suite was deemed unfit to live in, SFD said. They said the unit needed to be cleaned, properly sanitized and repaired before it could be lived in again.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.