Cowichan Cat Rescue

PO Box 677

Duncan, BC

V9L 3Y1

Tel: (250) 743-6500

http://members.shaw.ca/cowcatrescue

April 16, 2003

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NORSKECANADA CROFTON MILL SITE SHUTS DOWN HUMANE FERAL CAT PROGRAM

In May, 2001, Cowichan Cat Rescue was approached by the Crofton Mill Division of NorskeCanada and asked to assist with the feral cat “problem” that was on site. After some discussion of the options available, the Mill instituted a trap/spay/neuter/release program in August, 2001, set up feeding stations in order to monitor the population, and Cowichan Cat Rescue agreed to take young kittens from site which would be tamed, spayed and neutered at 8 – 10 weeks of age and then adopted out.

The bulk of the trapping, and the bulk of the kitten rescue took place over the course of the Spring, Summer and early Autumn of 2002. During the course of that time, 19 feral cats were trapped, spayed or neutered and released back onto the mill site, and 1 cat required euthanasia. A total of 41 kittens were taken in by Cowichan Cat Rescue. 4 of those kittens died of unknown causes, but the remaining 37 were spayed or neutered and, following countless hours put in by the foster homes to tame these kittens, were subsequently adopted out.

On April 15th, 2003, Cowichan Cat Rescue was informed by Mr. Anton Klopper, Human Resources Manager at the Crofton division of NorskeCanada, that the trap/spay/neuter/release program was no longer operating. Penny Simpson, a trustee of Cowichan Cat Rescue, was told that while NorskeCanada appreciates the work that the organization is doing in the community, the on-site program at Crofton is over, apparently at least partially due to three “incidents” over the past eighteen months.

Simpson said, “I am devastated. We were given no warning and no opportunity for discussion. There isn’t even a clear reason. These ‘incidents’ can only get worse as the population explodes – which it inevitably will. If we hadn’t taken those 41 kittens out of there last year, although statistics show that approximately half of them would have died, that still leaves an additional 20 cats that would have been roaming the site, and breeding; not to mention the 19 others that were spayed and neutered that would also be breeding. It just doesn’t make sense. The feeding stations which the Mill had set up have also been cleared out. These cats have become reliant upon these stations because of the Mill’s original commitment to this program. To just take the food source away like this is just so inhumane.”

What’s next for the cats at the Crofton site? No-one seems to know. Simpson was unable to get an answer to that question from Mr. Klopper, and Cowichan Cat Rescue is now wondering about the fate of this year’s kittens.

Penny Simpson
Trustee, Cowichan Cat Rescue

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corporateaffairs@norskecanada.com with your feedback on their decision!