Days after the story of Dan Lapotac, his living conditions, and the dozens of animals he looked after came out; one of the first groups of cats are on their way to their forever homes.
On Monday, CTV News shared the story of Dan Lapotac, a man living on the Enoch Cree Nation in a makeshift tent, who was taking care of a growing number of cats and dogs.
In total, Lapotac had nearly 50 cats and kittens and eight dogs and puppies living with him.
Lapotac said a number of the animals were dropped off in the area, and he took them in – but some of them weren’t sterilized, so a number of litters were born, and the population of pets Lapotac looked after continued to grow.
Janice Dodds is an animal advocate who stepped in to help, getting some of the animals spayed and neutered, and soliciting food donations from nearby animal shelters and charities – but she went to the media after she learned that the SPCA wouldn’t intervene.
After the story aired, Dodds received dozens of calls with offers to either adopt or donate.
Hundreds of dollars have already been put towards the cause.
“It’s like a total burden, a relief off my shoulders that someone is willing to help more with the finances,” Dodds said. “It’s going to take a while to work through all these cats and kittens, and get them to the right homes.”
The Edmonton Emergency Vet Clinic volunteered its services for the animals, at no cost.
“It’s a good thing we’re going to be able to help these people out,” Veterinarian Christopher Sauve said. “Pet overpopulation is a big concern, so I think we can use this as a lesson in responsible pet ownership to have your pets spayed or neutered early.”
CTV News has learned ten of the cats are being spayed and neutered – after Dodds dropped them off at the clinic Wednesday evening.
“They’ve been fixed, they’re going to get all the worms treated, their ear mites cleaned, they’re going to get the vaccinations,” Dodds said. “It’s safe where they are because now there’s going to be no unwanted pregnancies.”
A few of those cats are heading straight to their forever homes after surgery, but five will go to a local rescue, Little Cats Lost.
“Instead of going back to Dan’s, they’re going back to Virginia, at Little Cats Lost, for the adoption day, and if none are adopted out sadly they’ll have to come back to Dan’s until I can get them adopted out,” Dodds said.
Now, Dodds thought the issue was improving, but she told CTV News Thursday that two more cats were dropped off near Lapotac’s tent overnight.
Over the next week, Dodds plans to bring another 20 cats to the clinic to be spayed and neutered.
About $1,000 has been donated to the cause as well, to donate contact the Edmonton South Animal Hospital.
With files from Amanda Anderson
