EDMONTON -- The SPCA says it is not investigating after a trio of kittens were left in the cold to be rescued by an oilpatch worker and his lukewarm coffee.
Kendall Diwisch found the tiny, meowing cats near one of his wells in the Drayton Valley area Wednesday morning.
The cats, believed to have been abandoned, were partially frozen to the ice and Diwish poured some of his still-warm coffee on them to dislodge their tails.
All three cats were taken in by a local rescue group and have already been adopted out to a loving home.
Alberta SPCA says it does not have an open investigation into the incident because no one filed a complaint.
The organization said pet owners can face charges if they abandon an animal and it causes the animal distress.
"Unfortunately, there is an over-population of cats in Alberta and many people treat them as disposable," said spokesman Dan Kobe. "This incident should serve as a reminder to everyone about the importance of getting pets spayed or neutered."
He said anyone who wants to surrender a pet should expect the process to take days or weeks, not hours.
"Animal shelters are often at capacity and owners may have to wait for space to open up before the animal(s) can be accepted."
During Alberta's January cold snap, the SPCA said it received more than 61 animal distress complaints in just two days,.
Under the Animal Protection Act, anyone found to cause an animal distress due to abandonment can face charges, a fine of up to $20,000 and a lifetime ban on owning animals.
Anyone who wants to report an animal in distress is asked to call the SPCA at 1-800-455-9003.
