We receive many calls every day from citizens who have found a stray cat.
In order to respect our capacity (document in French only) and to ensure that we have the necessary resources to take good care of each animal, we operate exclusively by appointment. This allows us to reduce the length of stays in the shelter and to minimize the number of euthanasias.
It is therefore not possible to bring an animal to the shelter without having made an appointment, unless the animal is injured, sick or in a precarious situation.
Here is the process to follow if you find a stray cat.
The animal's coat is beautiful, it doesn't look bad, but rather healthy? It is very possible that it is a domestic cat, belonging to someone in the neighborhood.
If all else fails, you can join the waiting list to bring the animal to the Outaouais SPCA. Send us an email at with a brief description of the cat, a picture and the location where you found it.
Wait for our reply before coming to the shelter! The delay of entry can vary from a few days to more than a month depending on the urgency of the situation and the traffic at the shelter. This allows us to respect our capacity to take good care of each animal.
(To know what to do while waiting for your appointment, read point 4.)
Does the animal limp, look unwell or appear to be injured or ill? If so, call us at 819-243-2004 (extension 23) during our business hours and we will try to arrange an emergency appointment with our health team.
Our veterinarian will be able to perform an examination and determine the urgency of the situation. If the situation is not urgent, you may have to leave with the animal if the shelter is at capacity.
Outside of our operating hours, contact your local police department.
If kittens are too young to be separated from their mother (around 2 months), the first step is to try to find the mother. This maximizes their chances of survival, even if they stay outside.
At the shelter, we do our best to try to rescue orphaned kittens, but under 4-5 weeks of age, it is more difficult to ensure their survival if their mother is not present.
Our veterinarian will be able to perform an examination and then judge the urgency of the situation. If the situation is not urgent, you may have to leave with the animal if the shelter is at capacity.
Outside of our operating hours, contact your local police department.
Here's what you can do while waiting for a space to open up at the shelter:
In any case, the most important thing is to wait for your appointment. This allows us to respect our healthy intake capacity and to offer the best care to the animals entrusted to us. Thank you for helping us to help them!