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Forgetting animals won’t happen at Central Alberta Humane Society

Edmonton Humane Society puts new procedures in place
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Central Alberta Humane Society says the handling of its animals is paramount. (File photo by Advocate staff)

Forgetting animals locked in a vehicle for days would not happen at Central Alberta Humane Society as it did in Edmonton, says the society’s executive director.

Edmonton Humane Society says it has adopted new procedures after a team that was transporting animals to its shelter accidentally left three cats inside a vehicle that weren’t discovered for 22 days.

The cats were dehydrated, hungry and had minor urine burns on their paws, but no major injuries or illnesses when they were discovered April 18.

Tara Hellewell, executive director of Central Alberta Humane Society, said because her organization is much smaller and operates differently the chance of that happening is not possible.

“We can definitely assure the public we’re doing our due diligence to ensure that when animals are intaked they are matched to the paperwork that we have and nothing is ever left in a vehicle or a transport,” Hellewell said on Thursday.

“We are very careful, always very careful. The handling of our animals is paramount.”

The local society also has only one vehicle for transfers that is used all the time, she said.

But Hellewell said it’s also important to support Edmonton Humane Society whose staff and volunteers would be devastated.

“It’s an awful, fluke accident that’s happened there and they must be going through a terrible time over this. The people at the Edmonton Humane Society care very deeply about their animals. They are probably one of the organizations that we look up to most in terms of their policies and procedures.”

Hellewell was sure it would not happen again.

“It’s a good lesson for everybody to take a good look at their policies and review them and ensure that the processes that they have in place prevent anything like this from happening.”

— With files from THE CANADIAN PRESS



szielinski@reddeeradvocate.com

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