|
|
|
The SPCA
pays a visit to the Vernon and District Animal Care Society
|
July 30, 2005
Hazel, V-P and main fostering
volunteer for our rescue society, Vernon and District Animal
Care Society, answered her door on Thursday to find three
uniformed SPCA types. They introduced themselves only by
saying that they were SPCA officers from Kelowna and asked
her if she was Hazel Turchinetz. She let them into her house
where they asked her how many people lived in the house
[2] and how many cats she had [7]. She told them that she
had been inspected by an environmental health officer from
Interior Health a couple of months ago. They said that their
inspection was part of that investigation.
They asked to see the shelter
cats so Hazel took them into her backyard which has chain
link fencing with chicken wire at a 90 degree angle to
prevent the cats [ c. 60 ] from climbing out and a covered
veranda with lots of sleeping places. They expressed
amazement that the cats were so sociable and that they all
got along together so well. Then they had a look at Hazel's
husband's former workshop where she has cages donated to us
by a local vet [used for new or injured cats ] and lots of
scratching posts and beds for the others who have free
access to the outdoors.
They asked her "Now, Hazel, what
are you planning to do with all these cats?" Hazel told them
that they were spayed or neutered, tattooed, vaccinated etc.
and then adopted to approved homes. They asked about URV.
Hazel said that we had had outbreaks but that we treated the
cats and they all recovered. She told them that we had had a
flea outbreak but that since then all our incoming cats were
treated with Revolution. They asked if our cats were given
vet care and which vets. Hazel asked them if anything was
wrong and the woman SPCA type just dismissed her question
with a wave of her hand. Hazel suggested that they might
like to adopt a cat. One of them said that he had six dogs
and several cats on his 17 acres and that he had a permit to
have so many animals. [The mention of the permit gave me
chills.]
Hazel thinks that that's the end
of that but I'm not so sure. Of course, most of our cats
have been turned away by the Vernon SPCA or brought to us by
people who couldn't bear to take them to the SPCA. About 20
have been rescued from the local dump. We even had some
brought to us by the SPCA agent in Nakusp who did not want
to surrender animals to the Vernon SPCA!
Interior Health Authority
inspected saying that someone had expressed concern
about Hazel's husband's health being compromised by all
the cats. She was never told who the complainant was.
There had been an article in the local paper about Hazel
and her work for VDACS and how she'd had to take early
retirement from nursing to care for her husband who has
Parkinson's and prostate cancer. [Caring for the cats
keeps her sane; she is an incredibly active, energetic
individual.] After the inspection by the Environmental
Health Officer from the Interior Health Authority, Hazel's
husband's doctor told her that he had been phoned about
the cats. He told the E. H. Officer that the only way the
cats could endanger Mike's health would be if he were to
trip over one!
Hazel is VERY much better
qualified than SPCA staff to care for cats. She is an R.N.
who has run a nursing station in the NWT and has been in
charge of one of the care facilities in Vernon. She has
taken the advanced animal welfare course from Cariboo
College, as well as a vet assistant course. She also
volunteers one morning a week at Sunridge Vet Clinic in
Vernon
Heather Pettit,
President, VDACS
|
|
| |
| |
 |
| |
| |
 |
|
|
|
Gerry came to Hazel four
months ago after one of our members rescued him from
the land fill. He was so sick and so terribly thin that
he could barely walk. He had a terrible case of URV and
a bad infestation of ear mites. Because he was so weak
Hazel didn't have to work hard at gaining his trust. He
just lay there and let her treat him and coo over him.
Once his parasites
and his URV had been dealt with and he had been
neutered, Hazel got to work on restoring his appetite
and his interest in life. She fed him
special canned food in his own private dining room, told
him how beautiful he was and gave him lots of loving.
With Hazel's nursing care, Gerry has blossomed into a
sociable, self-confident cat with bright eyes and a
glossy coat. She's justifiably proud of him.
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
V & D Animal Care Society
The Vernon & District Animal Care
Society is an all volunteer registered charity with approximately
100 members. We provide spay/neuter and emergency vet care
financial assistance for low income pet owners and homeless
animals. We also foster and rehabilitate abandoned cats and
kittens and place them in responsible, loving homes. All our
mature felines are spayed or neutered, vaccinated and tattooed
prior to adoption, and our kitten adoption fee includes the total
cost of spay/neuter surgery, basic vaccinations and tattoo. VDACS
maintains a Lost & Found Cat Registry which is published weekly
and updated daily by a dedicated volunteer who has reunited
several missing felines with their families.
All our programs are funded through
donations and local fundraising events organized by our members
and supporters. In 2004 we invested almost $60,000 in spay/neuter
and emergency vet care.
|
|
|
