Cochrane & Area Humane Society encourages residents to sign new animal protection bill after taking in a severely injured cat recently.
Charlee was brought to the shelter last week after an individual found the small black, gray and white cat just outside of Cochrane in a rural area with one of her back legs zip-tied to the point it had to be amputated on Tuesday. She also had an injury on her front paw that the shelter veterinarians are closely monitoring.
“Charlee was a stray that was brought in, we don’t know the whole story or the back story,” said Jaimie Anton, the shelter’s fund development officer.
While the Cochrane & Area Humane Society staff does not know the specific details of Charlee’s life, the staff at the shelter are encouraging residents in Cochrane to email the MP to support Bill C-246, a bill written to modernize the animal protections act.
“The animal protection laws are outdated and because of that it makes it difficult to prosecute cases of abuse,” Anton explained.
“The changes (to Bill C-246) will help with that.”
Bill C-246 proposes to amend sections including adding a section for “Offences against animals” where individuals caught killing or harming an animal, whether willfully or reckless, can be charged with an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term of not more than five year or charged with an offence punishable on summary and liable to a fine not exceeding $10,000 or imprisonment for a term of not more than 18 months or to both.
The bill also includes a section discussing failure to provide adequate care and negligence, where the punishment includes being charged with an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term of no more than two years or charged with an offence punishable on a summary conviction and liable to a fine not exceeding $5,000 or imprisonment for a term of not more than six months or to both.
The Bill was brought before parliament in February and had its second reading in May. The current animal protection laws in Canada include Alberta’s Animal Protection Act, and the Criminal Code of Canada which states any one who willfully causes or, being the owner, willfully permits to cause unnecessary pain, suffering or injury to an animal or bird, can be charged with an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term of not more than five years or on summary conviction a fine not exceeding $10,000 or to imprisonment for a term of not more than eighteen months or to both.
At press time, staff at the shelter said Charlee has a “long road of recovery” ahead of her. The tabby just had her back leg amputated and a couple toes on her front paw also amputated. The shelter’s veterinarians will continue to monitor the Charlee and keep her under quarantine until she is healthy enough to be adopted.
She will need extensive vet care, medications and will need additional surgeries on her front leg. The society is accepting donations in Charlee’s name to help cover the costs.
For more information on how to help (or adopt) any of the animals with the Cochrane & Area Humane Society, contact the shelter at 403-932-2072 or go to the website atcochranehumane.ca.
